Newcastle at a glance
- Population: 535 residents, the 962nd-largest of 1,224 places in Texas (US Census Bureau, Vintage 2023).
- 2020 Census base: 528 people (US Census Bureau, 2020 Census count).
- 2020 to 2023 change: an increase of about 1.3% since the 2020 count (US Census Bureau).
- Rank among Texas places: 962nd of the state's 1,224 Census places (US Census Bureau).
- Size percentile: about 21% of places in Texas are smaller (US Census Bureau).
- Coordinates: 33.1962, -98.7435 (US Census Bureau Gazetteer).
- Nearest larger cities (120-mile radius): Graham, TX (12 mi); Olney, TX (12 mi); Throckmorton, TX (25 mi); Archer City, TX (28 mi); Breckenridge, TX (32 mi) (US Census Bureau).
- Nearest smaller places: Bryson, TX (21 mi); Megargel, TX (21 mi); Woodson, TX (22 mi) (US Census Bureau estimates).
What a personal loan costs in Newcastle
Unlike a revolving credit card, a personal loan is closed-end: the balance falls on a fixed schedule and the payment does not change.
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.
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.
Pre-qualifying with several lenders takes minutes, uses a soft pull, and gives you real numbers to compare before any hard inquiry.
Texas lending rules that apply in Newcastle
The sourced rows below are the rules a licensed lender must follow when lending in Texas, and therefore in Newcastle.
| Rule | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Payday lending status | Legal via licensed credit access businesses (payday/title-loan brokers); the third-party lender itself is not licensed (Tex. Fin. Code ch. 393) Source says: the credit access business that serves as the broker is the licensee in this regulated industry | Texas Office of Consumer Credit Commissioner (OCCC) as of 2026-09-16 |
| Small-loan / installment lender licensing | License required for non-depository lenders charging more than 10% interest; Chapter 342 governs consumer loans (Tex. Fin. Code § 342.051) Source says: Non-depository lenders who engage in making, transacting, or collecting loans with a rate of interest greater than 10% must be licensed by the OCCC. | Texas Office of Consumer Credit Commissioner (OCCC) as of 2026-09-16 |
| State lending regulator | Texas Office of Consumer Credit Commissioner (OCCC) Source says: The OCCC licenses and regulates non-depository lenders in the state of Texas. | Texas Office of Consumer Credit Commissioner (OCCC) as of 2026-09-16 |
| Maximum legal interest rate (usury cap) | 10% per year maximum; a greater rate is usurious unless otherwise provided by law (Tex. Fin. Code § 302.001) Source says: The maximum rate or amount of interest is 10 percent a year except as otherwise provided by law. | Texas Legislature (Texas Constitution and Statutes) as of 2026-09-16 |
How to compare offers in Newcastle
A few practical steps will make the process in Newcastle less costly:
- 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 Texas using the regulator named above.
- Read the disclosure for origination fees and any prepayment penalty before you sign.