Fountain Hill at a glance
- Population: about 4,798 residents, ranking 201st of 1,013 Census places in Pennsylvania (US Census Bureau, Vintage 2023 subcounty estimate).
- 2020 Census base: 4,828 people (US Census Bureau, 2020 Census count).
- 2020 to 2023 change: about 0.6% below the 2020 Census base (US Census Bureau).
- Rank among Pennsylvania places: 201st-largest of 1,013 (US Census Bureau, Vintage 2023 estimate).
- Size percentile: it exceeds roughly 80% of Pennsylvania's Census places by population (US Census Bureau).
- Coordinates: mapped at 40.6028, -75.3961 by the US Census Bureau Gazetteer.
- Nearest larger cities: Bethlehem, PA (2 mi); Hellertown, PA (3 mi); Allentown, PA (4 mi); Catasauqua, PA (5 mi); Emmaus, PA (7 mi); US Census Bureau population estimates.
- Nearest smaller towns: Freemansburg, PA (3 mi); North Catasauqua, PA (6 mi); Coopersburg, PA (6 mi) — US Census Bureau populations.
What a personal loan costs in Fountain Hill
The defining feature of a personal loan is the fixed installment: the same payment every month until the term ends.
The APR is the comparable price of a loan since it folds in fees; model any offer with the personal loan calculator first.
Your credit, income and existing debts drive the rate a lender offers, while the term you pick sets how much interest builds on top.
A useful rule is to keep the new payment inside the room your budget already has, so the loan eases pressure instead of adding to it.
Pennsylvania lending rules that apply in Fountain Hill
Where a figure is not published by the state, the row points to the source instead of guessing.
| Rule | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Payday lending status | No separate payday-lending license; non-bank lenders are limited to 6% (unlicensed) or up to 24% (CDCA-licensed), so high-cost payday loans are not permitted. Source says: "if a lender is licensed by the Department in accord with the CDCA, it can charge between 6-24% on loans under $25,000" (DoBS interpretive letter, May 11, 2023). | Pennsylvania Department of Banking and Securities as of 2026-09-16 |
| Small-loan / installment lender licensing | Consumer Discount Company Act license required for non-mortgage consumer loans above 6%; licensed lenders may charge up to 24% on loans of $25,000 or less. Source says: "A consumer discount company is a business corporation that negotiates or makes non-mortgage loans or advances of money on credit." | Pennsylvania Department of Banking and Securities as of 2026-09-16 |
| State lending regulator | Pennsylvania Department of Banking and Securities (DoBS) Source says: "The Department of Banking and Securities regulates financial services in Pennsylvania." | Pennsylvania Department of Banking and Securities as of 2026-09-16 |
| Bank rate-cap exemption (state-specific rule) | Pennsylvania state-chartered banks are not subject to state interest-rate caps (Banking Code Sections 303/506 supersede the LIPL 6% cap). Source says: "Pennsylvania law does not impose any restrictions on the interest rate that Pennsylvania state-chartered banks may charge to customers." (DoBS interpretive letter, May 11, 2023). | Pennsylvania Department of Banking and Securities as of 2026-09-16 |
| Maximum legal interest rate (usury cap) | 6% per annum maximum for loans of $50,000 or less where no lower rate is contracted (41 P.S. 201(a)). Source says: "the maximum lawful rate of interest for the loan or use of money... shall be six per cent per annum" (Loan Interest and Protection Law, Section 201(a)). | Pennsylvania General Assembly (Laws of Pennsylvania, Act 6 of 1974) as of 2026-09-16 |
How to compare offers in Fountain Hill
The steps below are worth completing first when you borrow in Fountain Hill:
- 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 Pennsylvania using the regulator named above.
- Read the disclosure for origination fees and any prepayment penalty before you sign.