Ellijay at a glance
- Population: about 1,938, 242nd by size in Georgia of 536 places (Census Vintage 2023 subcounty estimate).
- 2020 Census base: 1,859 residents (US Census Bureau, 2020 Census).
- 2020 to 2023 change: about 4.2% growth over the 2020 Census base (US Census Bureau).
- Rank among Georgia places: 242nd-largest of 536 (US Census Bureau, Vintage 2023 estimate).
- Size percentile: roughly 55% of Georgia's places have fewer residents (US Census Bureau).
- Coordinates: 34.6914, -84.4835 (US Census Bureau Gazetteer).
- Nearest larger cities: Jasper, GA (16 mi); Chatsworth, GA (18 mi); Ball Ground, GA (25 mi); Dawsonville, GA (27 mi); Dalton, GA (28 mi) (Census populations, approximate straight-line distance).
- Nearest smaller places: East Ellijay, GA (2 mi); Talking Rock, GA (11 mi); Blue Ridge, GA (15 mi) (US Census Bureau estimates).
What a personal loan costs in Ellijay
With an installment loan the payment is fixed for the life of the loan, so the schedule is predictable from the first month to the last.
The number to compare is the APR, not the interest rate, because the APR folds in origination fees and other charges; our personal loan calculator will show what a given amount and term would cost.
The term is the lever: extend it and the payment falls while total interest climbs; shorten it and the reverse happens.
Set the loan amount from the expense itself rather than the maximum you are approved for, and keep the payment within your existing budget.
Georgia lending rules that apply in Ellijay
Each row below is a Georgia rule with its publisher and the date it was retrieved.
| Rule | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| State lending regulator | Georgia Department of Banking and Finance (DBF) Source says: "The Non-depository division supervises mortgage lenders, mortgage brokers, and mortgage loan originators, as well as installment lenders, check cashers, and money transmitters". | Georgia Department of Banking and Finance as of 2026-09-16 |
| Installment Loan Act rate cap | 10% per annum of the face amount of the contract (licensed installment loans) Source says: "may charge interest at a rate not to exceed 10 percent per annum of the face amount of the contract". | Georgia Department of Banking and Finance as of 2026-09-16 |
| Maximum legal interest rate (usury cap) | See the latest published figure value_text left null: Georgia's rate ceilings are set by O.C.G.A. Title 7, Chapter 4 (O.C.G.A. §§ 7-4-1 to 7-4-21); the Department of Banking and Finance does not publish the figure and the official code host could not be fetched, so no figure is asserted. | Georgia Department of Banking and Finance as of 2026-09-16 |
| Payday lending status | Prohibited (payday lending illegal in Georgia) Source says: "Payday lending is illegal in Georgia." | Georgia Department of Banking and Finance as of 2026-09-16 |
| Small-loan / installment lender licensing | Installment lender license required for loans of $3,000 or less Source says: "any entity making loans of $3,000.00 or less to individuals must be licensed with the Department as an installment lender". | Georgia Department of Banking and Finance as of 2026-09-16 |
How to compare offers in Ellijay
Before you share your details with a lender in Ellijay:
- Pull your free credit reports and dispute any error — it is the cheapest way to improve the rate you are offered.
- Run your figures through the personal loan calculator on this site so you know the payment before a lender quotes one.
- Pre-qualify with at least three lenders and compare the APR, not the interest rate.
- Check that the lender is licensed in Georgia using the regulator named above.
- Read the disclosure for origination fees and any prepayment penalty before you sign.