Lake City at a glance
- Population: a Census-estimated 484, placing it 989th among Texas's 1,224 places (Vintage 2023 subcounty estimate).
- 2020 Census base: 448 people at the 2020 Census, the baseline for the trend below (US Census Bureau).
- 2020 to 2023 change: population rose about 8.0% (US Census Bureau Vintage 2023 estimate vs 2020 Census).
- Rank among Texas places: 989th out of 1,224 Census places (US Census Bureau).
- Size percentile: about 19% of Texas's Census places are smaller (US Census Bureau).
- Coordinates: latitude 28.0831, longitude -97.8826 (US Census Bureau Gazetteer).
- Nearest larger cities: Mathis, TX (4 mi); Orange Grove, TX (9 mi); Odem, TX (20 mi); Agua Dulce, TX (21 mi); George West, TX (22 mi) — straight-line distances, US Census Bureau populations.
- Nearest smaller towns: Lakeside, TX (2 mi); San Patricio, TX (10 mi); Petronila, TX (32 mi) (US Census Bureau).
What a personal loan costs in Lake City
Personal loans are installment credit — one lump sum, repaid in equal monthly installments across a fixed term you agree to up front.
The advertised interest rate leaves out fees that the APR captures, which is why APR is the number to weigh; try the personal loan calculator before you apply.
A lender weighs your credit profile, income and debts when setting the rate, and a longer term lowers the payment at the cost of more interest overall.
Pre-qualifying with several lenders takes minutes, uses a soft pull, and gives you real numbers to compare before any hard inquiry.
Texas lending rules that apply in Lake City
Each row below is a Texas rule with its publisher and the date it was retrieved.
| Rule | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| 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 |
How to compare offers in Lake City
Before you commit to a personal loan in Lake City, 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 Texas using the regulator named above.
- Read the disclosure for origination fees and any prepayment penalty before you sign.