Friendly at a glance
- Population: about 94 residents, ranking 226th of 230 Census places in West Virginia (US Census Bureau, Vintage 2023 subcounty estimate).
- 2020 Census base: 98 people at the 2020 Census, the baseline for the trend below (US Census Bureau).
- 2020 to 2023 change: a loss of about 4.1% since the 2020 count (US Census Bureau).
- Rank among West Virginia places: 226th of 230 by population (US Census Bureau, Vintage 2023).
- Size percentile: it is larger than about 2% of the places in West Virginia (US Census Bureau).
- Coordinates: 39.5137 / -81.0618, per the US Census Bureau Gazetteer.
- Nearest larger cities (120-mile radius): Matamoras (New Matamoras), OH (1 mi); Sistersville, WV (5 mi); Middlebourne, WV (8 mi); Paden City, WV (9 mi); St. Marys, WV (11 mi) (US Census Bureau).
- Smaller places nearby: Antioch, OH (10 mi); Graysville, OH (12 mi); Stafford, OH (18 mi), per US Census Bureau estimates.
What a personal loan costs in Friendly
Personal loans are installment credit — one lump sum, repaid in equal monthly installments across a fixed term you agree to up front.
Judge an offer by its APR, which blends the interest rate with fees, and use the personal loan calculator to see the total cost.
Because interest accrues for longer, a longer term means a lower installment and a higher total cost — decide which matters more to you.
Shop with more than one lender and treat pre-qualification as an estimate, since the final terms follow a full application.
West Virginia lending rules that apply in Friendly
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Maximum legal interest rate (usury cap) | 31% per year on unsecured loans of $3,500 or less; 27% on $3,500–$15,000; 18% above $15,000 (W. Va. Code § 46A-4-107) Source says: the loan finance charge, calculated according to the actuarial method, may not exceed 31 percent per year | West Virginia Legislature (West Virginia Code) as of 2026-09-16 |
| Payday lending status | Traditional payday lending is generally prohibited; check cashers are regulated under W. Va. Code ch. 32A Source says: Traditional "Payday Lenders" are generally prohibited within this state. | West Virginia Division of Financial Institutions (WV DFI) as of 2026-09-16 |
| Small-loan / installment lender licensing | Regulated consumer lender license required from the Commissioner (W. Va. Code § 46A-4-101) Source says: Unless a person has first obtained a license from the commissioner authorizing the person to make regulated consumer loans | West Virginia Legislature (West Virginia Code) as of 2026-09-16 |
| State lending regulator | West Virginia Division of Financial Institutions (WV DFI) Source says: The West Virginia Division of Financial Institutions is charged with the regulation and supervision of financial institutions chartered by the State of West Virginia. | West Virginia Division of Financial Institutions (WV DFI) as of 2026-09-16 |
How to compare offers in Friendly
Run through this list before signing anything in Friendly:
- 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 West Virginia using the regulator named above.
- Read the disclosure for origination fees and any prepayment penalty before you sign.