Plain Dealing at a glance
- Population: 878 residents, the 163rd-largest of 302 places in Louisiana (US Census Bureau, Vintage 2023).
- 2020 Census base: the 2020 count put the population at 895 (US Census Bureau).
- 2020 to 2023 change: a loss of about 1.9% since the 2020 count (US Census Bureau).
- Rank among Louisiana places: 163rd out of 302 Census places (US Census Bureau).
- Size percentile: roughly 46% of places in Louisiana rank below it by population (US Census Bureau).
- Coordinates: latitude 32.9070, longitude -93.6992 (US Census Bureau Gazetteer).
- Nearest larger cities (120-mile radius): Benton, LA (15 mi); Springhill, LA (15 mi); Vivian, LA (17 mi); Blanchard, LA (24 mi); Bossier City, LA (27 mi) (US Census Bureau).
- Smaller places close by: Gilliam, LA (10 mi); Hosston, LA (11 mi); Ida, LA (13 mi) (US Census Bureau).
What a personal loan costs in Plain Dealing
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.
The APR is the comparable price of a loan since it folds in fees; model any offer with the personal loan calculator first.
Your credit, income and existing debts drive the rate a lender offers, while the term you pick sets how much interest builds on top.
If you are consolidating debt, the loan only helps if you stop adding to the balances it clears; otherwise the total debt grows.
Louisiana lending rules that apply in Plain Dealing
The sourced rows below are the rules a licensed lender must follow when lending in Louisiana, and therefore in Plain Dealing.
| Rule | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Maximum legal interest rate (usury cap) | 12% per annum maximum conventional interest (La. R.S. 9:3500(C)(1)) Source says: "The amount of the conventional interest cannot exceed twelve percent per annum." | Louisiana State Legislature as of 2026-09-16 |
| Payday lending status | Legal and licensed — deferred presentment and small loans ($350 or less, 60 days or less) under OFI-issued licenses Source says: "Persons who make loans of $350 or less for a term of 60 days or less." | Louisiana Office of Financial Institutions as of 2026-09-16 |
| Small-loan / installment lender licensing | Consumer loan license required from OFI before making consumer loans Source says: "Persons who wish to engage in the business of making consumer loans must hold a consumer loan license issued by this Office" | Louisiana Office of Financial Institutions as of 2026-09-16 |
| State lending regulator | Louisiana Office of Financial Institutions (OFI), Non-Depository Division Source says: "OFI is responsible for the supervision of various entities which provide financial services to the citizens of the State of Louisiana." | Louisiana Office of Financial Institutions as of 2026-09-16 |
| Licensed-lender consumer loan finance charge caps | 36% first $1,400; 27% to $4,000; 24% to $7,000; 21% above (R.S. 9:3519(A)) Source says: "Thirty-six percent per year for that portion of the unpaid principal amount of the loan not exceeding one thousand four hundred dollars" | Louisiana State Legislature as of 2026-09-16 |
How to compare offers in Plain Dealing
A few practical steps will make the process in Plain Dealing 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 Louisiana using the regulator named above.
- Read the disclosure for origination fees and any prepayment penalty before you sign.