Jena at a glance
- Population: 4,151, the 69th-largest community in Louisiana out of 302 (US Census Bureau, Vintage 2023).
- 2020 Census base: 4,161 residents (US Census Bureau, 2020 Census).
- 2020 to 2023 change: a decline of roughly 0.2% between the 2020 count and the 2023 estimate (US Census Bureau).
- Rank among Louisiana places: the 69th-largest of 302 (US Census Bureau, 2023 estimate).
- Size percentile: it is larger than about 77% of the places in Louisiana (US Census Bureau).
- Coordinates: it sits at 31.6902, -92.1286 in the US Census Bureau Gazetteer.
- Nearest larger cities (within 120 miles): Pineville, LA (29 mi); Alexandria, LA (34 mi); Marksville, LA (39 mi); Winnsboro, LA (41 mi); Natchez, MS (45 mi) (US Census Bureau populations).
- Nearest smaller communities: Tullos, LA (15 mi); Urania, LA (15 mi); Georgetown, LA (16 mi), each a US Census place.
What a personal loan costs in Jena
A personal loan hands you a single sum and a repayment schedule of equal monthly installments over an agreed term.
APR, not the simple interest rate, reflects what the loan actually costs once fees are included; the personal loan calculator puts a figure on it.
Your credit, income and existing debts drive the rate a lender offers, while the term you pick sets how much interest builds on top.
Work out the payment you can comfortably carry each month first, then borrow no more than that figure supports.
Louisiana lending rules that apply in Jena
Where a figure is not published by the state, the row points to the source instead of guessing.
| Rule | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Maximum legal interest rate (usury cap) | 12% per annum maximum conventional interest (La. R.S. 9:3500(C)(1)) Source says: "The amount of the conventional interest cannot exceed twelve percent per annum." | Louisiana State Legislature as of 2026-09-16 |
| Payday lending status | Legal and licensed — deferred presentment and small loans ($350 or less, 60 days or less) under OFI-issued licenses Source says: "Persons who make loans of $350 or less for a term of 60 days or less." | Louisiana Office of Financial Institutions as of 2026-09-16 |
| Small-loan / installment lender licensing | Consumer loan license required from OFI before making consumer loans Source says: "Persons who wish to engage in the business of making consumer loans must hold a consumer loan license issued by this Office" | Louisiana Office of Financial Institutions as of 2026-09-16 |
| State lending regulator | Louisiana Office of Financial Institutions (OFI), Non-Depository Division Source says: "OFI is responsible for the supervision of various entities which provide financial services to the citizens of the State of Louisiana." | Louisiana Office of Financial Institutions as of 2026-09-16 |
| Licensed-lender consumer loan finance charge caps | 36% first $1,400; 27% to $4,000; 24% to $7,000; 21% above (R.S. 9:3519(A)) Source says: "Thirty-six percent per year for that portion of the unpaid principal amount of the loan not exceeding one thousand four hundred dollars" | Louisiana State Legislature as of 2026-09-16 |
How to compare offers in Jena
Before you share your details with a lender in Jena:
- 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 Louisiana using the regulator named above.
- Read the disclosure for origination fees and any prepayment penalty before you sign.