Lake City at a glance
- Population: 12,602 — 156th in Florida, which has 411 Census places (US Census Bureau, Vintage 2023).
- 2020 Census base: 12,335 residents in the 2020 Census, per the US Census Bureau.
- 2020 to 2023 change: roughly 2.2% higher than at the 2020 Census (US Census Bureau).
- Rank among Florida places: 156th largest of 411 (US Census Bureau).
- Size percentile: roughly 62% of places in Florida rank below it by population (US Census Bureau).
- Coordinates: 30.1886 latitude, -82.6422 longitude (US Census Bureau Gazetteer).
- Nearest larger cities: Gainesville, FL (39 mi); Valdosta, GA (59 mi); Jacksonville, FL (59 mi); Kingsland, GA (68 mi); Waycross, GA (73 mi) (Census populations, approximate straight-line distance).
- Nearest smaller towns: White Springs, FL (12 mi); Fort White, FL (19 mi); Lake Butler, FL (21 mi) (US Census Bureau).
What a personal loan costs in Lake City
Unlike a revolving credit card, a personal loan is closed-end: the balance falls on a fixed schedule and the payment does not change.
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.
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.
Florida lending rules that apply in Lake City
The sourced rows below are the rules a licensed lender must follow when lending in Florida, and therefore in Lake City.
| Rule | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Payday lending status | Permitted under license (deferred presentment providers; money services business license under chapter 560) Source says: "Businesses intending to engage in deferred presentment transactions must be licensed as a money services business under chapter 560, Florida Statutes". | Florida Office of Financial Regulation as of 2026-09-16 |
| Small-loan / installment lender licensing | Consumer finance loan license required (chapter 516) Source says: "A person must not engage in the business of making consumer finance loans ... unless ... the person first obtains a license from the office". | Florida Legislature (The Florida Senate, Online Sunshine) as of 2026-09-16 |
| State lending regulator | Florida Office of Financial Regulation (OFR) Source says: "The Office of Financial Regulation is a state-government agency created by the Governor and Cabinet to provide regulatory oversight for Florida's financial services industry". | Florida Office of Financial Regulation as of 2026-09-16 |
| Deferred presentment fee cap | 10% of the amount provided (transactions not repayable in installments) Source says: "A deferred presentment provider or its affiliate may not charge fees that exceed 10 percent of the currency or payment instrument provided". | Florida Legislature (The Florida Senate, Online Sunshine) as of 2026-09-16 |
| Maximum legal interest rate (usury cap) | 18% per annum simple interest (loans/advances of $500,000 or less; loans above $500,000 are exempt from this cap) Source says: "it shall be usury and unlawful ... to ... charge ... a rate of interest greater than the equivalent of 18 percent per annum simple interest". | Florida Legislature (The Florida Senate, Online Sunshine) as of 2026-09-16 |
How to compare offers in Lake City
Before you share your details with a lender in Lake City:
- 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 Florida using the regulator named above.
- Read the disclosure for origination fees and any prepayment penalty before you sign.