Elyria at a glance
- Population: roughly 53,117 people; 14th of 924 places in Ohio (Census Vintage 2023 subcounty estimate).
- 2020 Census base: the 2020 count put the population at 52,667 (US Census Bureau).
- 2020 to 2023 change: up about 0.9% from the 2020 Census base to the 2023 estimate (US Census Bureau).
- Rank among Ohio places: 14th in population of 924 places (US Census Bureau).
- Size percentile: roughly 98% of Ohio's places have fewer residents (US Census Bureau).
- Coordinates: 41.3728 latitude, -82.1080 longitude (US Census Bureau Gazetteer).
- Nearest larger cities (120-mile radius): Lorain, OH (6 mi); Parma, OH (20 mi); Cleveland, OH (23 mi); Akron, OH (37 mi); Canton, OH (55 mi) (US Census Bureau).
- Nearest smaller towns: North Ridgeville, OH (5 mi); Sheffield, OH (6 mi); Amherst, OH (7 mi) (US Census Bureau).
What a personal loan costs in Elyria
The defining feature of a personal loan is the fixed installment: the same payment every month until the term ends.
Compare offers on APR rather than the headline rate — the APR includes most fees, and you can model the total with our personal loan calculator.
Stretching the term lowers the monthly payment but raises the total interest you pay, so the smallest payment is not automatically the cheapest loan.
Shop with more than one lender and treat pre-qualification as an estimate, since the final terms follow a full application.
Ohio lending rules that apply in Elyria
The Ohio rate caps and licensing rules that reach Elyria are listed below, each with its source and retrieval date.
| Rule | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Maximum legal interest rate (usury cap) | 8% per annum maximum by written agreement for the general case; higher rates permitted only in specified cases (e.g., principal over $100,000, business loans, certain mortgages). Source says: "may stipulate therein for the payment of interest upon the amount thereof at any rate not exceeding eight per cent per annum payable annually" (Ohio Rev. Code 1343.01(A)). [codes.ohio.gov content retrieved via search-engine fetch of the official section; direct connections blocked from our network] | Ohio Laws (Ohio Revised Code - official state publication) as of 2026-09-16 |
| Payday lending status | Legal for licensed short-term lenders; interest capped at 28% per annum; total fees and charges capped at 60% of the originally contracted loan amount. Source says: "(A) Interest not exceeding a rate of twenty-eight per cent per annum" (Ohio Rev. Code 1321.40); total fees/charges capped at "a total amount of fees and charges that exceeds sixty per cent of the originally contracted loan amount" (1321.403). | Ohio Laws (Ohio Revised Code - official state publication) as of 2026-09-16 |
| Small-loan / installment lender licensing | Consumer finance licenses required for non-depository lenders, including Consumer Installment Loan Act lenders, General Loan Law lenders, short-term lenders, and small loan lenders. Source says: "We issue and manage licenses for companies and individuals under multiple Ohio statutes." (page's regulated-statutes list names Consumer Installment Loan Act lenders, General Loan Law lenders, Short-term lenders, Small loan lenders). | Ohio Department of Commerce - Division of Financial Institutions as of 2026-09-16 |
| State lending regulator | Ohio Department of Commerce, Division of Financial Institutions (Consumer Finance Section). Source says: "The Consumer Finance Section is responsible for regulating non-depository consumer lenders and related consumer finance businesses." | Ohio Department of Commerce - Division of Financial Institutions as of 2026-09-16 |
How to compare offers in Elyria
Before you share your details with a lender in Elyria:
- 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 Ohio using the regulator named above.
- Read the disclosure for origination fees and any prepayment penalty before you sign.