Lauderdale-by-the-Sea at a glance
- Population: about 6,154 residents, ranking 210th of 411 Census places in Florida (US Census Bureau, Vintage 2023 subcounty estimate).
- 2020 Census base: 6,193 people at the 2020 Census, the baseline for the trend below (US Census Bureau).
- 2020 to 2023 change: about 0.6% lower than the 2020 Census base (US Census Bureau).
- Rank among Florida places: 210th in population of 411 places (US Census Bureau).
- Size percentile: roughly 49% of places in Florida rank below it by population (US Census Bureau).
- Coordinates: 26.1913 / -80.0995, per the US Census Bureau Gazetteer.
- Nearest larger cities (120-mile radius): Wilton Manors, FL (3 mi); Oakland Park, FL (3 mi); Pompano Beach, FL (4 mi); Fort Lauderdale, FL (5 mi); Lighthouse Point, FL (6 mi) (US Census Bureau).
- Smaller places close by: Sea Ranch Lakes, FL (1 mi); Lazy Lake, FL (4 mi); Hillsboro Beach, FL (6 mi) (US Census Bureau).
What a personal loan costs in Lauderdale-by-the-Sea
Unlike a revolving credit card, a personal loan is closed-end: the balance falls on a fixed schedule and the payment does not change.
Judge an offer by its APR, which blends the interest rate with fees, and use the personal loan calculator to see the total cost.
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.
Before you borrow, decide what the loan is for and whether the monthly payment fits a budget you can already meet without taking on new debt.
Florida lending rules that apply in Lauderdale-by-the-Sea
The table lists the Florida rules that apply to a loan made in Lauderdale-by-the-Sea, each with the regulator that published it.
| Rule | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| 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 |
How to compare offers in Lauderdale-by-the-Sea
The steps below are worth completing first when you borrow in Lauderdale-by-the-Sea:
- 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.