Flat Rock at a glance
- Population: roughly 3,563 people; 194th of 549 places in North Carolina (Census Vintage 2023 subcounty estimate).
- 2020 Census base: the 2020 count put the population at 3,481 (US Census Bureau).
- 2020 to 2023 change: a gain of roughly 2.4% between the 2020 count and the 2023 estimate (US Census Bureau).
- Rank among North Carolina places: 194th in population of 549 places (US Census Bureau).
- Size percentile: larger than about 65% of the Census places in North Carolina (US Census Bureau).
- Coordinates: 35.2668, -82.4516 (Census Gazetteer, US Census Bureau).
- Nearest larger cities within 120 miles: Hendersonville, NC (4 mi); Mills River, NC (11 mi); Fletcher, NC (12 mi); Brevard, NC (16 mi); Travelers Rest, SC (21 mi) (US Census Bureau).
- Nearest smaller towns: Laurel Park, NC (4 mi); Saluda, NC (6 mi); Tryon, NC (13 mi) (US Census Bureau).
What a personal loan costs in Flat Rock
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.
Two loans can share an interest rate and still differ in APR once fees are counted, so compare APR; our personal loan calculator shows the difference over the full term.
Your credit, income and existing debts drive the rate a lender offers, while the term you pick sets how much interest builds on top.
Pre-qualification is a good first filter: it shows the rate and amount a lender may offer before you agree to a full application and a hard inquiry.
North Carolina lending rules that apply in Flat Rock
Every figure in the table below is sourced to a publisher with a date; where a state does not publish a number, we say so rather than estimate.
| Rule | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Small-loan / installment lender licensing | Consumer Finance Act license from the Commissioner of Banks required for loans of $25,000 or less charging more than Chapter 24 rates Source says: "Direct lenders seeking to charge rates higher than allowed under Chapter 24 on consumer term loans of twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000) or less" | North Carolina Office of the Commissioner of Banks as of 2026-09-16 |
| State lending regulator | North Carolina Office of the Commissioner of Banks (NCCOB) Source says: "Lenders operating under the CFA must be licensed by and are subject to regulation by the NCCOB." | North Carolina Office of the Commissioner of Banks as of 2026-09-16 |
| Consumer Finance Act installment loan rates (G.S. 53-176) | 33% per annum on unpaid balance up to $4,000; 24% on $4,000-$8,000; 18% on the remainder (loans up to $12,000); 18% for loans above $12,000 Source says: "thirty-three percent (33%) per annum on that part of the unpaid principal balance not exceeding four thousand dollars ($4,000)" | North Carolina General Assembly as of 2026-09-16 |
| Maximum legal interest rate (usury cap) | For loans of $25,000 or less: greater of the 6-month U.S. Treasury bill rate + 6% or 16% (G.S. 24-1.1(c)); any agreed rate above $25,000 Source says: "plus six percent (6%), rounded upward or downward ... or sixteen percent (16%), whichever is greater" | North Carolina General Assembly as of 2026-09-16 |
| Payday lending status | Payday lenders shut down in North Carolina; online payday lending remains an enforcement target Source says: "Payday Lenders: Shut Down In NC, But Still Victimizing Borrowers Online" | North Carolina Department of Justice (Office of the Attorney General) as of 2026-09-16 |
How to compare offers in Flat Rock
The order below is a sensible way to approach a loan in Flat Rock:
- 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 North Carolina using the regulator named above.
- Read the disclosure for origination fees and any prepayment penalty before you sign.