Heath at a glance
- Population: 241, the 390th-largest community in Alabama out of 462 (US Census Bureau, Vintage 2023).
- 2020 Census base: 235 residents (US Census Bureau, 2020 Census).
- 2020 to 2023 change: an increase of about 2.6% since the 2020 count (US Census Bureau).
- Rank among Alabama places: 390th-largest of 462 (US Census Bureau, Vintage 2023 estimate).
- Size percentile: roughly 16% of places in Alabama rank below it by population (US Census Bureau).
- Coordinates: latitude 31.3448, longitude -86.4690 (US Census Bureau Gazetteer).
- Nearest larger cities: Andalusia, AL (3 mi); River Falls, AL (4 mi); Sanford, AL (5 mi); Carolina, AL (8 mi); Red Level, AL (9 mi); US Census Bureau population estimates.
- Nearest smaller communities: Gantt, AL (5 mi); Libertyville, AL (7 mi); Horn Hill, AL (11 mi) (Census populations).
What a personal loan costs in Heath
A personal loan is structured as an installment plan, with a set number of monthly payments and a fixed amount due each time.
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.
A longer term reduces what you owe each month and increases the total interest, which is the trade-off to weigh before choosing one.
Shop with more than one lender and treat pre-qualification as an estimate, since the final terms follow a full application.
Alabama lending rules that apply in Heath
Each row below is a Alabama rule with its publisher and the date it was retrieved.
| Rule | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Parity lending rate provision (§ 8-8-1.1) | Any lender may charge the same rates as any federally or state-chartered or licensed lending institution in Alabama Source says: "may, on any loans or extensions of credit made by them, charge or impose the same rate of interest or finance charge". | Alabama Legislature — Code of Alabama 1975, § 8-8-1.1 as of 2026-09-16 |
| Maximum legal interest rate (usury cap) | 6% per annum without a written contract; 8% per annum by written contract Source says: "except by written contract is $6 upon $100 for one year"; "the rate of interest by written contract is not to exceed $8 upon $100 for one year". (Code text retrieved from the Alabama Legislature's official Code of Alabama service.) | Alabama Legislature — Code of Alabama 1975, § 8-8-1 as of 2026-09-16 |
| Payday lending status | Permitted — deferred presentment services licensed by the supervisor; maximum advance $500; maximum fee 17.5% of amount advanced Source says: "a maximum fee on any deferred presentment transaction not to exceed 17.5 percent of the amount advanced"; "The maximum amount that may be advanced in any deferred presentment transaction is five hundred dollars ($500)". | Alabama State Banking Department — Deferred Presentment Services Act (Code of Alabama §§ 5-18A-1 et seq.) as of 2026-09-16 |
| Small-loan / installment lender licensing | Alabama Small Loan Act license required from the supervisor for loans under $1,500; interest capped at 3% per month on the first $200 and 2% per month on $200–$1,500 Source says: "No person shall engage in the business of lending in amounts of less than one thousand five hundred dollars ($1,500)"; "without first having obtained a license from the supervisor"; "not exceeding three percent a month on that part of the unpaid principal balance not in excess of two hundred dollars". | Alabama State Banking Department — Alabama Small Loan Act (Code of Alabama §§ 5-18-1 et seq.) as of 2026-09-16 |
| State lending regulator | Alabama State Banking Department — Bureau of Loans (BOL) Source says: "The Bureau of Loans (hereinafter “the BOL”) was established in 1945". The BOL administers the Small Loan Act, Consumer Credit Act, Pawn Shop Act, Mortgage Brokers Licensing Act, Deferred Presentment Services Act and SAFE Act. | Alabama State Banking Department as of 2026-09-16 |
How to compare offers in Heath
The order below is a sensible way to approach a loan in Heath:
- 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 Alabama using the regulator named above.
- Read the disclosure for origination fees and any prepayment penalty before you sign.