Palestine at a glance
- Population: a Census-estimated 19,372, placing it 156th among Texas's 1,224 places (Vintage 2023 subcounty estimate).
- 2020 Census base: 18,537 people counted in the 2020 Census (US Census Bureau).
- 2020 to 2023 change: population rose about 4.5% (US Census Bureau Vintage 2023 estimate vs 2020 Census).
- Rank among Texas places: 156th of 1,224 by population (US Census Bureau, Vintage 2023).
- Size percentile: ahead of around 87% of Texas places in population terms (US Census Bureau).
- Coordinates: 31.7545 / -95.6470, per the US Census Bureau Gazetteer.
- Nearest larger cities: Tyler, TX (44 mi); Corsicana, TX (53 mi); Nacogdoches, TX (59 mi); Lufkin, TX (62 mi); Ennis, TX (70 mi) — straight-line distances, US Census Bureau populations.
- Nearest smaller communities: Elkhart, TX (9 mi); Oakwood, TX (17 mi); Grapeland, TX (21 mi) (Census populations).
What a personal loan costs in Palestine
The defining feature of a personal loan is the fixed installment: the same payment every month until the term ends.
Compare every quote on APR because it includes the fees the interest rate hides, and check the payment with our personal loan calculator.
Lenders weigh your credit history, income and debts when they set the rate, and the term you choose then determines how that rate compounds into total cost.
If you are consolidating debt, the loan only helps if you stop adding to the balances it clears; otherwise the total debt grows.
Texas lending rules that apply in Palestine
The table carries the Texas rate and licensing rules that apply to consumer loans made in Palestine.
| Rule | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| 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 |
How to compare offers in Palestine
The order below is a sensible way to approach a loan in Palestine:
- 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.