Folkston at a glance
- Population: 4,684 — 152nd in Georgia, which has 536 Census places (US Census Bureau, Vintage 2023).
- 2020 Census base: 4,522 people counted in the 2020 Census (US Census Bureau).
- 2020 to 2023 change: a gain of roughly 3.6% between the 2020 count and the 2023 estimate (US Census Bureau).
- Rank among Georgia places: the 152nd-largest of 536 (US Census Bureau, 2023 estimate).
- Size percentile: roughly 72% of places in Georgia rank below it by population (US Census Bureau).
- Coordinates: mapped at 30.8391, -82.0073 by the US Census Bureau Gazetteer.
- Nearest larger cities (within 120 miles): Kingsland, GA (13 mi); St. Marys, GA (26 mi); Waycross, GA (33 mi); Fernandina Beach, FL (35 mi); Brunswick, GA (38 mi) (US Census Bureau populations).
- Nearest smaller towns: Homeland, GA (2 mi); Hilliard, FL (12 mi); Woodbine, GA (19 mi) — US Census Bureau populations.
What a personal loan costs in Folkston
Personal loans are installment credit — one lump sum, repaid in equal monthly installments across a fixed term you agree to up front.
APR is the figure that lets you compare like with like, since it wraps fees into the rate; run your own numbers with the 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.
Georgia lending rules that apply in Folkston
Where a figure is not published by the state, the row points to the source instead of guessing.
| 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 Folkston
Before you share your details with a lender in Folkston:
- 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.