New Brunswick at a glance
- Population: 55,846 residents, the 14th-largest of 323 places in New Jersey (US Census Bureau, Vintage 2023).
- 2020 Census base: the 2020 Census recorded 55,255 residents here (US Census Bureau).
- 2020 to 2023 change: roughly 1.1% higher than at the 2020 Census (US Census Bureau).
- Rank among New Jersey places: 14th in population of 323 places (US Census Bureau).
- Size percentile: it is larger than about 96% of the places in New Jersey (US Census Bureau).
- Coordinates: mapped at 40.4867, -74.4444 by the US Census Bureau Gazetteer.
- Nearest larger cities: Elizabeth, NJ (18 mi); Bayonne, NJ (21 mi); Newark, NJ (22 mi); East Orange, NJ (23 mi); Trenton, NJ (25 mi), each a US Census place with its estimated population.
- Nearest smaller communities: Highland Park, NJ (1 mi); Milltown, NJ (3 mi); South River, NJ (4 mi), each a US Census place.
What a personal loan costs in New Brunswick
Personal loans are installment credit — one lump sum, repaid in equal monthly installments across a fixed term you agree to up front.
Two loans can share an interest rate and still differ in APR once fees are counted, so compare APR; our personal loan calculator shows the difference over the full term.
The term is the lever: extend it and the payment falls while total interest climbs; shorten it and the reverse happens.
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.
New Jersey lending rules that apply in New Brunswick
Where a figure is not published by the state, the row points to the source instead of guessing.
| Rule | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Small-loan / installment lender licensing | Consumer lender license required for loans of $50,000 or less for personal, family, or household purposes (N.J.S.A. 17:11C-1 et seq.) Source says: "A consumer lender license is required for the making of a loan that is to be used primarily for personal, family or household purposes" | New Jersey Department of Banking and Insurance as of 2026-09-16 |
| State lending regulator | New Jersey Department of Banking and Insurance (DOBI); Office of Consumer Finance supervises consumer lenders Source says: "The Office of Consumer Finance regulates 16 types of businesses that provide a variety of consumer financial services." | New Jersey Department of Banking and Insurance as of 2026-09-16 |
| Criminal usury limits | 30% for non-corporate borrowers; 50% for corporations Source says: "the criminal usury limitation is 50 percent for corporations and 30 percent for non-corporate borrowers" | New Jersey Department of Banking and Insurance as of 2026-09-16 |
| Maximum legal interest rate (usury cap) | Civil usury: rates above 6% (agreement not in writing) or above 16% (written contract specifying the rate) Source says: "the civil usury rate is any interest rate greater than 6 percent for an agreement that is not in writing" | New Jersey Department of Banking and Insurance as of 2026-09-16 |
| Payday lending status | Unlicensed payday lending violates New Jersey's civil and criminal usury rates; payday lenders must be licensed Source says: "out-of-state or foreign entities that have not obtained the required New Jersey license and whose payment terms violate New Jersey's civil and criminal usury rates" | New Jersey Department of Banking and Insurance as of 2026-09-16 |
How to compare offers in New Brunswick
These steps are the ones that most affect the offer you receive in New Brunswick:
- 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 New Jersey using the regulator named above.
- Read the disclosure for origination fees and any prepayment penalty before you sign.