Live Oak at a glance
- Population: about 9,443, 379th by size in California of 482 places (Census Vintage 2023 subcounty estimate).
- 2020 Census base: 9,110 people at the 2020 Census, the baseline for the trend below (US Census Bureau).
- 2020 to 2023 change: about 3.7% growth over the 2020 Census base (US Census Bureau).
- Rank among California places: 379th out of 482 Census places (US Census Bureau).
- Size percentile: it exceeds roughly 21% of California's Census places by population (US Census Bureau).
- Coordinates: the Census Gazetteer places it at 39.2788, -121.6624.
- Nearest larger cities (120-mile radius): Marysville, CA (10 mi); Yuba City, CA (10 mi); Oroville, CA (16 mi); Grass Valley, CA (33 mi); Chico, CA (34 mi) (US Census Bureau).
- Smaller places close by: Gridley, CA (6 mi); Biggs, CA (9 mi); Colusa, CA (19 mi) (US Census Bureau).
What a personal loan costs in Live Oak
The defining feature of a personal loan is the fixed installment: the same payment every month until the term ends.
Compare offers on APR rather than the headline rate — the APR includes most fees, and you can model the total with our personal loan calculator.
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.
Shop with more than one lender and treat pre-qualification as an estimate, since the final terms follow a full application.
California lending rules that apply in Live Oak
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 | Permitted under the California Deferred Deposit Transaction Law; max $300 face amount; fee ≤15%; term up to 31 days Source says: "The face amount of the check shall not exceed three hundred dollars ($300)"; "A fee for a deferred deposit transaction shall not exceed 15 percent of the face amount of the check" (Financial Code § 23036). | California Legislature — Financial Code § 23035 (and § 23036) as of 2026-09-16 |
| Small-loan / installment lender licensing | Finance lender/broker license required from the Commissioner of Financial Protection and Innovation (California Financing Law) Source says: "No person shall engage in the business of a finance lender or broker without obtaining a license from the commissioner". | California Legislature — Financial Code § 22100 as of 2026-09-16 |
| State lending regulator | California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation (DFPI) Source says: "“Department” means the Department of Financial Protection and Innovation". | California Legislature — Financial Code § 23001 as of 2026-09-16 |
| 36% rate cap on mid-size consumer loans (AB 539) | Consumer loans of $2,500 to under $10,000: cap of 36% per annum simple interest plus the Federal Funds Rate Source says: "charges at a rate not exceeding an annual simple interest rate of 36 percent per annum plus the Federal Funds Rate". | California Legislature — Financial Code § 22304.5 as of 2026-09-16 |
| Maximum legal interest rate (usury cap) | 7% per annum default; written contracts may set up to 10% per annum for consumer-purpose loans Source says: "shall be 7 percent per annum"; "for use primarily for personal, family, or household purposes, at a rate not exceeding 10 percent per annum". | California Legislature — California Constitution, Article XV, § 1 as of 2026-09-16 |
How to compare offers in Live Oak
Run through this list before signing anything in Live Oak:
- 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 California using the regulator named above.
- Read the disclosure for origination fees and any prepayment penalty before you sign.