Laredo at a glance
- Population: roughly 257,602 people; 11th of 1,224 places in Texas (Census Vintage 2023 subcounty estimate).
- 2020 Census base: 255,208 residents at the 2020 Census (US Census Bureau, 2020 count).
- 2020 to 2023 change: population rose about 0.9% (US Census Bureau Vintage 2023 estimate vs 2020 Census).
- Rank among Texas places: 11th by size among 1,224 communities (US Census Bureau).
- Size percentile: roughly 99% of Texas's places have fewer residents (US Census Bureau).
- Coordinates: 27.5604, -99.4892 (US Census Bureau Gazetteer).
- Nearest larger cities: none within 120 miles of Laredo.
- Smaller places nearby: Rio Bravo, TX (14 mi); El Cenizo, TX (16 mi); Encinal, TX (34 mi), per US Census Bureau estimates.
What a personal loan costs in Laredo
A personal loan is an installment loan: you receive a lump sum and repay it in fixed monthly payments over a set term, usually two to seven years.
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.
Stretching the term lowers the monthly payment but raises the total interest you pay, so the smallest payment is not automatically the cheapest loan.
Pre-qualification is a good first filter: it shows the rate and amount a lender may offer before you agree to a full application and a hard inquiry.
Texas lending rules that apply in Laredo
Every figure in the table below is sourced to a publisher with a date; where a state does not publish a number, we say so rather than estimate.
| Rule | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| 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 |
How to compare offers in Laredo
Run through this list before signing anything in Laredo:
- 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.