Mount Airy at a glance
- Population: roughly 10,610 people; 90th of 549 places in North Carolina (Census Vintage 2023 subcounty estimate).
- 2020 Census base: 10,673 residents at the 2020 Census (US Census Bureau, 2020 count).
- 2020 to 2023 change: about 0.6% below the 2020 Census base (US Census Bureau).
- Rank among North Carolina places: 90th of 549 by population (US Census Bureau, Vintage 2023).
- Size percentile: it exceeds roughly 84% of North Carolina's Census places by population (US Census Bureau).
- Coordinates: 36.5085, -80.6145 (Census Gazetteer, US Census Bureau).
- Nearest larger cities (within 120 miles): Lewisville, NC (30 mi); Winston-Salem, NC (34 mi); Clemmons, NC (35 mi); Kernersville, NC (41 mi); Radford, VA (42 mi) (US Census Bureau populations).
- Smaller towns nearby: Dobson, NC (10 mi); Pilot Mountain, NC (12 mi); Hillsville, VA (19 mi) (US Census Bureau).
What a personal loan costs in Mount Airy
A personal loan gives you the full amount at once and spreads repayment over a set number of months at a fixed payment.
The number to compare is the APR, not the interest rate, because the APR folds in origination fees and other charges; our personal loan calculator will show what a given amount and term would cost.
The offer you receive reflects the lender's read of your credit, income and debts, and the term controls the balance between payment size and total interest.
Most lenders offer pre-qualification with a soft credit pull, so you can see an estimated rate and amount without affecting your credit score.
North Carolina lending rules that apply in Mount Airy
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Maximum legal interest rate (usury cap) | For loans of $25,000 or less: greater of the 6-month U.S. Treasury bill rate + 6% or 16% (G.S. 24-1.1(c)); any agreed rate above $25,000 Source says: "plus six percent (6%), rounded upward or downward ... or sixteen percent (16%), whichever is greater" | North Carolina General Assembly as of 2026-09-16 |
| Payday lending status | Payday lenders shut down in North Carolina; online payday lending remains an enforcement target Source says: "Payday Lenders: Shut Down In NC, But Still Victimizing Borrowers Online" | North Carolina Department of Justice (Office of the Attorney General) as of 2026-09-16 |
| Small-loan / installment lender licensing | Consumer Finance Act license from the Commissioner of Banks required for loans of $25,000 or less charging more than Chapter 24 rates Source says: "Direct lenders seeking to charge rates higher than allowed under Chapter 24 on consumer term loans of twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000) or less" | North Carolina Office of the Commissioner of Banks as of 2026-09-16 |
| State lending regulator | North Carolina Office of the Commissioner of Banks (NCCOB) Source says: "Lenders operating under the CFA must be licensed by and are subject to regulation by the NCCOB." | North Carolina Office of the Commissioner of Banks as of 2026-09-16 |
| Consumer Finance Act installment loan rates (G.S. 53-176) | 33% per annum on unpaid balance up to $4,000; 24% on $4,000-$8,000; 18% on the remainder (loans up to $12,000); 18% for loans above $12,000 Source says: "thirty-three percent (33%) per annum on that part of the unpaid principal balance not exceeding four thousand dollars ($4,000)" | North Carolina General Assembly as of 2026-09-16 |
How to compare offers in Mount Airy
The steps below are worth completing first when you borrow in Mount Airy:
- 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 North Carolina using the regulator named above.
- Read the disclosure for origination fees and any prepayment penalty before you sign.