Ironton at a glance
- Population: roughly 10,187 people; 174th of 924 places in Ohio (Census Vintage 2023 subcounty estimate).
- 2020 Census base: the 2020 count put the population at 10,573 (US Census Bureau).
- 2020 to 2023 change: down about 3.7% from the 2020 Census base to the 2023 estimate (US Census Bureau).
- Rank among Ohio places: 174th largest of 924 (US Census Bureau).
- Size percentile: roughly 81% of places in Ohio rank below it by population (US Census Bureau).
- Coordinates: 38.5326, -82.6781 (US Census Bureau Gazetteer).
- Nearest larger cities (within 120 miles): Ashland, KY (5 mi); Huntington, WV (16 mi); Portsmouth, OH (21 mi); St. Albans, WV (48 mi); South Charleston, WV (54 mi) (US Census Bureau populations).
- Nearest smaller towns: Russell, KY (2 mi); Flatwoods, KY (2 mi); Bellefonte, KY (2 mi) — US Census Bureau populations.
What a personal loan costs in Ironton
Most personal loans are unsecured, meaning no collateral is pledged, and they are repaid in equal installments over a fixed term.
Judge an offer by its APR, which blends the interest rate with fees, and use the personal loan calculator to see the total cost.
Lenders weigh your credit history, income and debts when they set the rate, and the term you choose then determines how that rate compounds into total cost.
A payment that strains the budget is a warning sign; a smaller loan or a little more saving time is the safer route.
Ohio lending rules that apply in Ironton
The sourced rows below are the rules a licensed lender must follow when lending in Ohio, and therefore in Ironton.
| Rule | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| State lending regulator | Ohio Department of Commerce, Division of Financial Institutions (Consumer Finance Section). Source says: "The Consumer Finance Section is responsible for regulating non-depository consumer lenders and related consumer finance businesses." | Ohio Department of Commerce - Division of Financial Institutions as of 2026-09-16 |
| Maximum legal interest rate (usury cap) | 8% per annum maximum by written agreement for the general case; higher rates permitted only in specified cases (e.g., principal over $100,000, business loans, certain mortgages). Source says: "may stipulate therein for the payment of interest upon the amount thereof at any rate not exceeding eight per cent per annum payable annually" (Ohio Rev. Code 1343.01(A)). [codes.ohio.gov content retrieved via search-engine fetch of the official section; direct connections blocked from our network] | Ohio Laws (Ohio Revised Code - official state publication) as of 2026-09-16 |
| Payday lending status | Legal for licensed short-term lenders; interest capped at 28% per annum; total fees and charges capped at 60% of the originally contracted loan amount. Source says: "(A) Interest not exceeding a rate of twenty-eight per cent per annum" (Ohio Rev. Code 1321.40); total fees/charges capped at "a total amount of fees and charges that exceeds sixty per cent of the originally contracted loan amount" (1321.403). | Ohio Laws (Ohio Revised Code - official state publication) as of 2026-09-16 |
| Small-loan / installment lender licensing | Consumer finance licenses required for non-depository lenders, including Consumer Installment Loan Act lenders, General Loan Law lenders, short-term lenders, and small loan lenders. Source says: "We issue and manage licenses for companies and individuals under multiple Ohio statutes." (page's regulated-statutes list names Consumer Installment Loan Act lenders, General Loan Law lenders, Short-term lenders, Small loan lenders). | Ohio Department of Commerce - Division of Financial Institutions as of 2026-09-16 |
How to compare offers in Ironton
Before you commit to a personal loan in Ironton, work through these steps:
- 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 Ohio using the regulator named above.
- Read the disclosure for origination fees and any prepayment penalty before you sign.