Ponchatoula at a glance
- Population: about 7,804, 42nd by size in Louisiana of 302 places (Census Vintage 2023 subcounty estimate).
- 2020 Census base: 7,824 residents at the 2020 Census (US Census Bureau, 2020 count).
- 2020 to 2023 change: roughly 0.3% fewer residents than at the 2020 Census (US Census Bureau).
- Rank among Louisiana places: 42nd of 302 by population (US Census Bureau, Vintage 2023).
- Size percentile: about 86% of places in Louisiana are smaller (US Census Bureau).
- Coordinates: it sits at 30.4406, -90.4428 in the US Census Bureau Gazetteer.
- Nearest larger cities (120-mile radius): Hammond, LA (5 mi); Covington, LA (20 mi); Mandeville, LA (21 mi); Denham Springs, LA (31 mi); Kenner, LA (32 mi) (US Census Bureau).
- Nearest smaller communities: Springfield, LA (6 mi); Albany, LA (9 mi); Tickfaw, LA (10 mi) (Census populations).
What a personal loan costs in Ponchatoula
A personal loan gives you the full amount at once and spreads repayment over a set number of months at a fixed payment.
Compare every quote on APR because it includes the fees the interest rate hides, and check the payment with our personal loan calculator.
The term is the lever: extend it and the payment falls while total interest climbs; shorten it and the reverse happens.
Pre-qualification is a good first filter: it shows the rate and amount a lender may offer before you agree to a full application and a hard inquiry.
Louisiana lending rules that apply in Ponchatoula
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 |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| 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 |
How to compare offers in Ponchatoula
Before you commit to a personal loan in Ponchatoula, 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 Louisiana using the regulator named above.
- Read the disclosure for origination fees and any prepayment penalty before you sign.