Fort Meade at a glance
- Population: the Census estimates 5,270 residents, ranking 222nd of 411 places in Florida (Vintage 2023).
- 2020 Census base: the 2020 count put the population at 5,100 (US Census Bureau).
- 2020 to 2023 change: an increase of about 3.3% since the 2020 count (US Census Bureau).
- Rank among Florida places: 222nd of 411 by population (US Census Bureau, Vintage 2023).
- Size percentile: ahead of around 46% of Florida places in population terms (US Census Bureau).
- Coordinates: latitude 27.7659, longitude -81.8055 (US Census Bureau Gazetteer).
- Nearest larger cities: Bartow, FL (8 mi); Lake Wales, FL (17 mi); Winter Haven, FL (20 mi); Dundee, FL (21 mi); Avon Park, FL (22 mi); US Census Bureau population estimates.
- Nearest smaller communities: Bowling Green, FL (9 mi); Eagle Lake, FL (15 mi); Mulberry, FL (15 mi), each a US Census place.
What a personal loan costs in Fort Meade
A personal loan is structured as an installment plan, with a set number of monthly payments and a fixed amount due each time.
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.
A lender weighs your credit profile, income and debts when setting the rate, and a longer term lowers the payment at the cost of more interest overall.
A payment that strains the budget is a warning sign; a smaller loan or a little more saving time is the safer route.
Florida lending rules that apply in Fort Meade
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Payday lending status | Permitted under license (deferred presentment providers; money services business license under chapter 560) Source says: "Businesses intending to engage in deferred presentment transactions must be licensed as a money services business under chapter 560, Florida Statutes". | Florida Office of Financial Regulation as of 2026-09-16 |
| Small-loan / installment lender licensing | Consumer finance loan license required (chapter 516) Source says: "A person must not engage in the business of making consumer finance loans ... unless ... the person first obtains a license from the office". | Florida Legislature (The Florida Senate, Online Sunshine) as of 2026-09-16 |
| State lending regulator | Florida Office of Financial Regulation (OFR) Source says: "The Office of Financial Regulation is a state-government agency created by the Governor and Cabinet to provide regulatory oversight for Florida's financial services industry". | Florida Office of Financial Regulation as of 2026-09-16 |
| Deferred presentment fee cap | 10% of the amount provided (transactions not repayable in installments) Source says: "A deferred presentment provider or its affiliate may not charge fees that exceed 10 percent of the currency or payment instrument provided". | Florida Legislature (The Florida Senate, Online Sunshine) as of 2026-09-16 |
| Maximum legal interest rate (usury cap) | 18% per annum simple interest (loans/advances of $500,000 or less; loans above $500,000 are exempt from this cap) Source says: "it shall be usury and unlawful ... to ... charge ... a rate of interest greater than the equivalent of 18 percent per annum simple interest". | Florida Legislature (The Florida Senate, Online Sunshine) as of 2026-09-16 |
How to compare offers in Fort Meade
Run through this list before signing anything in Fort Meade:
- 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 Florida using the regulator named above.
- Read the disclosure for origination fees and any prepayment penalty before you sign.