North Adams at a glance
- Population: about 12,483, 53rd by size in Massachusetts of 54 places (Census Vintage 2023 subcounty estimate).
- 2020 Census base: 12,956 residents at the 2020 Census (US Census Bureau, 2020 count).
- 2020 to 2023 change: about 3.7% below the 2020 Census base (US Census Bureau).
- Rank among Massachusetts places: the 53rd-largest of 54 (US Census Bureau, 2023 estimate).
- Size percentile: it exceeds roughly 2% of Massachusetts's Census places by population (US Census Bureau).
- Coordinates: latitude 42.6756, longitude -73.1181 (US Census Bureau Gazetteer).
- Nearest larger cities: Pittsfield, MA (17 mi); Greenfield, MA (27 mi); Troy, NY (29 mi); Cohoes, NY (31 mi); Northampton, MA (33 mi), each a US Census place with its estimated population.
- Smaller places close by: Old Bennington, VT (15 mi); Jacksonville, VT (17 mi); North Bennington, VT (18 mi) (US Census Bureau).
What a personal loan costs in North Adams
The defining feature of a personal loan is the fixed installment: the same payment every month until the term ends.
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 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.
Massachusetts lending rules that apply in North Adams
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Small-loan rate order | Maximum 23% per annum plus a $20 administrative fee (209 CMR 26.00/26.01) Source says: "Regulation 209 CMR 26.00 et seq. limits the annual interest rate that can be charged on small loans to 23%" | Massachusetts Division of Banks as of 2026-09-16 |
| Maximum legal interest rate (usury cap) | 20% per annum criminal-usury threshold (M.G.L. c. 271, § 49); statutory exceptions apply Source says: "interest and expenses the aggregate of which exceeds an amount greater than twenty per centum per annum upon the sum loaned" | Massachusetts General Court as of 2026-09-16 |
| Payday lending status | Restricted: DOB states payday lending is not prohibited, but a 'payday loan' is illegal due to the high APR Source says: "Payday lending is not prohibited in Massachusetts. Yet what is referred to as a 'payday loan' is illegal" | Massachusetts Division of Banks as of 2026-09-16 |
| Small-loan / installment lender licensing | Small-loan license required for loans of $6,000 or less when interest and expenses exceed 12% per year (M.G.L. c. 140, § 96) Source says: "No person shall directly or indirectly engage in the business of making loans of six thousand dollars or less ... without first obtaining ... a license" | Massachusetts General Court as of 2026-09-16 |
| State lending regulator | Division of Banks (Office of the Commissioner of Banks) Source says: "The Division of Banks (DOB) cautions you when applying for a payday loan" | Massachusetts Division of Banks as of 2026-09-16 |
How to compare offers in North Adams
Here is a short checklist for comparing personal loans in North Adams:
- 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 Massachusetts using the regulator named above.
- Read the disclosure for origination fees and any prepayment penalty before you sign.