Fayetteville at a glance
- Population: 101,680 (US Census Bureau, Vintage 2023 subcounty estimate), the 2nd-largest of 500 places in Arkansas.
- 2020 Census base: 94,312 people counted in the 2020 Census (US Census Bureau).
- 2020 to 2023 change: an increase of about 7.8% since the 2020 count (US Census Bureau).
- Rank among Arkansas places: 2nd out of 500 Census places (US Census Bureau).
- Size percentile: roughly 99% of Arkansas's places have fewer residents (US Census Bureau).
- Coordinates: 36.0715, -94.1666 (Census Gazetteer, US Census Bureau).
- Nearest larger cities: Broken Arrow, OK (90 mi); Springfield, MO (91 mi); Tulsa, OK (97 mi), each a US Census place with its estimated population.
- Nearest smaller communities: Johnson, AR (4 mi); Farmington, AR (5 mi); Greenland, AR (5 mi) (Census populations).
What a personal loan costs in Fayetteville
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.
APR, not the simple interest rate, reflects what the loan actually costs once fees are included; the personal loan calculator puts a figure on it.
A longer term reduces what you owe each month and increases the total interest, which is the trade-off to weigh before choosing one.
If you are consolidating debt, the loan only helps if you stop adding to the balances it clears; otherwise the total debt grows.
Arkansas lending rules that apply in Fayetteville
The table carries the Arkansas rate and licensing rules that apply to consumer loans made in Fayetteville.
| Rule | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Small-loan / installment lender licensing | See the latest published figure value_text left null: the State Bank Department does not publish a consumer small-loan license rate schedule that could be verified; storefront payday lending has been eliminated (see Payday lending status). See the linked regulator page for the licensee categories it supervises. | Arkansas State Bank Department as of 2026-09-16 |
| State lending regulator | Arkansas State Bank Department Source says: "The Department is charged with regulating state-chartered commercial banks with main offices in Arkansas". | Arkansas State Bank Department as of 2026-09-16 |
| Maximum legal interest rate (usury cap) | 17% per annum for loans not made by or to governmental units or by federally insured depository institutions (Amendment 89, effective January 1, 2011) Source says: "shall not exceed seventeen percent (17%) per annum". | Arkansas Legislature — Arkansas Constitution, Amendment 89, § 3 (proposed by H.J.R. 1004 of 2009) as of 2026-09-16 |
| Payday lending status | Not permitted — all storefront payday lending eliminated; the Attorney General has worked to eliminate all forms of payday lending since 2008 Source says: "the Attorney General's office has worked to eliminate all forms of payday lending in Arkansas"; "all storefront payday loan operations in Arkansas have been shut down". | Arkansas Attorney General — Consumer Protection Division as of 2026-09-16 |
How to compare offers in Fayetteville
Before you commit to a personal loan in Fayetteville, work through these steps:
- 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 Arkansas using the regulator named above.
- Read the disclosure for origination fees and any prepayment penalty before you sign.