Meriden at a glance
- Population: 60,111 — 10th in Connecticut, which has 29 Census places (US Census Bureau, Vintage 2023).
- 2020 Census base: 60,830 residents at the 2020 Census (US Census Bureau, 2020 count).
- 2020 to 2023 change: a loss of about 1.2% since the 2020 count (US Census Bureau).
- Rank among Connecticut places: the 10th-largest of 29 (US Census Bureau, 2023 estimate).
- Size percentile: it is larger than about 66% of the places in Connecticut (US Census Bureau).
- Coordinates: 41.5368 latitude, -72.7945 longitude (US Census Bureau Gazetteer).
- Nearest larger cities: New Britain, CT (10 mi); Bristol, CT (13 mi); Waterbury, CT (13 mi); Hartford, CT (17 mi); New Haven, CT (17 mi) (Census populations, approximate straight-line distance).
- Smaller places nearby: Middletown, CT (7 mi); Naugatuck, CT (14 mi); Ansonia, CT (20 mi), per US Census Bureau estimates.
What a personal loan costs in Meriden
A personal loan is structured as an installment plan, with a set number of monthly payments and a fixed amount due each time.
The APR is the comparable price of a loan since it folds in fees; model any offer with the personal loan calculator first.
The term is the lever: extend it and the payment falls while total interest climbs; shorten it and the reverse happens.
Work out the payment you can comfortably carry each month first, then borrow no more than that figure supports.
Connecticut lending rules that apply in Meriden
Read the table as the compliance picture for a lender serving Meriden: label, sourced figure, publisher and date.
| Rule | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Small-loan APR caps (§ 36a-558(d)) | Loans under $5,000: lesser of 36% APR or the Military Lending Act rate cap; loans $5,000–$50,000: 25% APR Source says: "an APR that exceeds the lesser of thirty-six per cent"; "an APR that exceeds twenty-five per cent". | Connecticut General Assembly — C.G.S. § 36a-558(d) (2026 Supplement) as of 2026-09-16 |
| Maximum legal interest rate (usury cap) | 12% per annum (consumer loans; statutory exceptions apply, e.g., banks, credit unions, small loan licensees) Source says: "charge, demand, accept or make any agreement to receive therefor interest at a rate greater than twelve per cent per annum". | Connecticut General Assembly — C.G.S. § 37-4 as of 2026-09-16 |
| Payday lending status | Not permitted — payday loans (small loans at more than 12% APR) are void and unenforceable unless made by exempt persons; licensed small loan companies may charge up to 36% APR Source says: "Connecticut Banking Law considers such loans as void and unenforceable"; "Small Loan licensees can charge up to 36% annual percentage rate (APR)". | Connecticut Department of Banking as of 2026-09-16 |
| Small-loan / installment lender licensing | Small loan license required for loans of $50,000 or less with an APR greater than 12% (Small Loan Lending and Related Activities Act, C.G.S. §§ 36a-555 to 36a-573) Source says: "Without having first obtained a small loan license from the commissioner pursuant to section 36a-565, no person shall". | Connecticut General Assembly — C.G.S. § 36a-556 (2026 Supplement) as of 2026-09-16 |
| State lending regulator | Connecticut Department of Banking Source says: "The Department of Banking considers payday loan companies as unlicensed small loan lenders". | Connecticut Department of Banking as of 2026-09-16 |
How to compare offers in Meriden
These steps are the ones that most affect the offer you receive in Meriden:
- 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 Connecticut using the regulator named above.
- Read the disclosure for origination fees and any prepayment penalty before you sign.