Pawleys Island at a glance
- Population: 135 people, the 246th-largest place among South Carolina's 271 Census places (US Census Bureau, Vintage 2023).
- 2020 Census base: 131 residents at the 2020 Census (US Census Bureau, 2020 count).
- 2020 to 2023 change: roughly 3.1% higher than at the 2020 Census (US Census Bureau).
- Rank among South Carolina places: 246th of 271 by population (US Census Bureau, Vintage 2023).
- Size percentile: ahead of around 9% of South Carolina places in population terms (US Census Bureau).
- Coordinates: the Census Gazetteer places it at 33.4281, -79.1250.
- Nearest larger cities: Georgetown, SC (10 mi); Surfside Beach, SC (15 mi); Myrtle Beach, SC (24 mi); Andrews, SC (25 mi); Conway, SC (28 mi) (Census populations, approximate straight-line distance).
- Nearest smaller towns: Jamestown, SC (34 mi); Marietta, NC (65 mi); Orrum, NC (72 mi) (US Census Bureau).
What a personal loan costs in Pawleys Island
With an installment loan the payment is fixed for the life of the loan, so the schedule is predictable from the first month to the last.
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.
Choosing a longer term eases the monthly budget but adds interest over the life of the loan; a shorter term costs more per month and less overall.
If you are consolidating debt, the loan only helps if you stop adding to the balances it clears; otherwise the total debt grows.
South Carolina lending rules that apply in Pawleys Island
The table lists the South Carolina rules that apply to a loan made in Pawleys Island, each with the regulator that published it.
| Rule | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| State lending regulator | South Carolina State Board of Financial Institutions - Consumer Finance Division (Office of the Commissioner of Consumer Finance) Source says: "South Carolina State Board of Financial Institutions Office of the Commissioner of Consumer Finance" (site heading). | South Carolina State Board of Financial Institutions - Consumer Finance Division as of 2026-09-16 |
| Supervised loan threshold (state-specific rule) | Consumer loans with a finance charge above 12%/year are "supervised loans" requiring licensed supervised lenders; supervised lenders may charge up to 18% per year on unpaid balances. Source says: "Supervised loan means a consumer loan in which the rate of the loan finance charge exceeds twelve percent per year" (37-3-301); "eighteen percent per year on the unpaid balances of principal" (37-3-201(2)(c)). | South Carolina Legislature (S.C. Code of Laws) as of 2026-09-16 |
| Maximum legal interest rate (usury cap) | 8.75% per annum statutory legal rate where no rate is agreed (judgment rate: Wall Street Journal prime + 4 points). Source says: "the legal interest shall be at the rate of eight and three-fourths percent per annum" (S.C. Code 34-31-20(A)). | South Carolina Legislature (S.C. Code of Laws) as of 2026-09-16 |
| Payday lending status | Legal for licensed deferred presentment providers; max $550 advanced at one time; fee limited to 15% of principal; term up to 31 days; 2025 repeal bill S.379 introduced but not enacted. Source says: "The total amount advanced by a licensee to any customer at one time for deferred presentment or deposit may not exceed five hundred fifty dollars" (34-39-180(B)); fees capped at "fifteen percent of the principal amount of the transaction" (34-39-180(E)). | South Carolina Legislature (S.C. Code of Laws) as of 2026-09-16 |
| Small-loan / installment lender licensing | Consumer Finance Division licenses and regulates companies making consumer loans with APRs exceeding 12% (Title 37 Consumer Protection Code; Consumer Finance Act, Title 34, ch. 29). Source says: "The Consumer Finance Division (CFD) licenses and regulates the business activities of all companies... that make consumer loans which have annual percentage rates exceeding 12%." | South Carolina State Board of Financial Institutions - Consumer Finance Division as of 2026-09-16 |
How to compare offers in Pawleys Island
Before you commit to a personal loan in Pawleys Island, work through these steps:
- 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 South Carolina using the regulator named above.
- Read the disclosure for origination fees and any prepayment penalty before you sign.