Forest at a glance
- Population: about 1,331 residents, ranking 474th of 924 Census places in Ohio (US Census Bureau, Vintage 2023 subcounty estimate).
- 2020 Census base: 1,349 people counted in the 2020 Census (US Census Bureau).
- 2020 to 2023 change: population fell about 1.3% (US Census Bureau Vintage 2023 estimate vs 2020 Census).
- Rank among Ohio places: 474th by size among 924 communities (US Census Bureau).
- Size percentile: it exceeds roughly 49% of Ohio's Census places by population (US Census Bureau).
- Coordinates: it sits at 40.8044, -83.5145 in the US Census Bureau Gazetteer.
- Nearest larger cities: Arlington, OH (10 mi); Carey, OH (12 mi); Kenton, OH (12 mi); Upper Sandusky, OH (13 mi); Ada, OH (16 mi) — straight-line distances, US Census Bureau populations.
- Smaller places close by: Patterson, OH (2 mi); Wharton, OH (5 mi); Kirby, OH (5 mi) (US Census Bureau).
What a personal loan costs in Forest
Most personal loans are unsecured, meaning no collateral is pledged, and they are repaid in equal installments over a fixed term.
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.
Lenders weigh your credit history, income and debts when they set the rate, and the term you choose then determines how that rate compounds into total cost.
If you are consolidating debt, the loan only helps if you stop adding to the balances it clears; otherwise the total debt grows.
Ohio lending rules that apply in Forest
The Ohio rate caps and licensing rules that reach Forest 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 Forest
Before you share your details with a lender in Forest:
- 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.