Galveston at a glance
- Population: 53,237 residents, the 70th-largest of 1,224 places in Texas (US Census Bureau, Vintage 2023).
- 2020 Census base: the 2020 Census recorded 53,695 residents here (US Census Bureau).
- 2020 to 2023 change: down roughly 0.9% across the 2020-to-2023 comparison (US Census Bureau).
- Rank among Texas places: 70th by size among 1,224 communities (US Census Bureau).
- Size percentile: it exceeds roughly 94% of Texas's Census places by population (US Census Bureau).
- Coordinates: 29.1863, -94.9658 (Census Gazetteer, US Census Bureau).
- Nearest larger cities: Texas City, TX (18 mi); League City, TX (23 mi); Pearland, TX (33 mi); Pasadena, TX (34 mi); Baytown, TX (40 mi); each population is a US Census Bureau estimate.
- Nearest smaller towns: Jamaica Beach, TX (1 mi); Hitchcock, TX (7 mi); Tiki Island, TX (8 mi) — US Census Bureau populations.
What a personal loan costs in Galveston
A personal loan is an installment loan: you receive a lump sum and repay it in fixed monthly payments over a set term, usually two to seven years.
Two loans can share an interest rate and still differ in APR once fees are counted, so compare APR; our personal loan calculator shows the difference over the full term.
Choosing a longer term eases the monthly budget but adds interest over the life of the loan; a shorter term costs more per month and less overall.
If you are consolidating debt, the loan only helps if you stop adding to the balances it clears; otherwise the total debt grows.
Texas lending rules that apply in Galveston
Where a figure is not published by the state, the row points to the source instead of guessing.
| Rule | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Payday lending status | Legal via licensed credit access businesses (payday/title-loan brokers); the third-party lender itself is not licensed (Tex. Fin. Code ch. 393) Source says: the credit access business that serves as the broker is the licensee in this regulated industry | Texas Office of Consumer Credit Commissioner (OCCC) as of 2026-09-16 |
| Small-loan / installment lender licensing | License required for non-depository lenders charging more than 10% interest; Chapter 342 governs consumer loans (Tex. Fin. Code § 342.051) Source says: Non-depository lenders who engage in making, transacting, or collecting loans with a rate of interest greater than 10% must be licensed by the OCCC. | Texas Office of Consumer Credit Commissioner (OCCC) as of 2026-09-16 |
| State lending regulator | Texas Office of Consumer Credit Commissioner (OCCC) Source says: The OCCC licenses and regulates non-depository lenders in the state of Texas. | Texas Office of Consumer Credit Commissioner (OCCC) as of 2026-09-16 |
| Maximum legal interest rate (usury cap) | 10% per year maximum; a greater rate is usurious unless otherwise provided by law (Tex. Fin. Code § 302.001) Source says: The maximum rate or amount of interest is 10 percent a year except as otherwise provided by law. | Texas Legislature (Texas Constitution and Statutes) as of 2026-09-16 |
How to compare offers in Galveston
A few practical steps will make the process in Galveston less costly:
- 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 Texas using the regulator named above.
- Read the disclosure for origination fees and any prepayment penalty before you sign.