Port Isabel at a glance
- Population: 5,118 — 371st in Texas, which has 1,224 Census places (US Census Bureau, Vintage 2023).
- 2020 Census base: 5,029 residents (US Census Bureau, 2020 Census).
- 2020 to 2023 change: up roughly 1.8% across the 2020-to-2023 comparison (US Census Bureau).
- Rank among Texas places: 371st by size among 1,224 communities (US Census Bureau).
- Size percentile: it is larger than about 70% of the places in Texas (US Census Bureau).
- Coordinates: 26.0630 latitude, -97.2467 longitude (US Census Bureau Gazetteer).
- Nearest larger cities: Brownsville, TX (14 mi); Los Fresnos, TX (15 mi); San Benito, TX (25 mi); Harlingen, TX (29 mi); Primera, TX (33 mi); each population is a US Census Bureau estimate.
- Nearest smaller towns: Laguna Vista, TX (4 mi); South Padre Island, TX (6 mi); Bayview, TX (11 mi) — US Census Bureau populations.
What a personal loan costs in Port Isabel
Most personal loans are unsecured, meaning no collateral is pledged, and they are repaid in equal installments over a fixed term.
The advertised interest rate leaves out fees that the APR captures, which is why APR is the number to weigh; try the personal loan calculator before you apply.
Stretching the term lowers the monthly payment but raises the total interest you pay, so the smallest payment is not automatically the cheapest loan.
Work out the payment you can comfortably carry each month first, then borrow no more than that figure supports.
Texas lending rules that apply in Port Isabel
The sourced rows below are the rules a licensed lender must follow when lending in Texas, and therefore in Port Isabel.
| Rule | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| 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 |
How to compare offers in Port Isabel
A few practical steps will make the process in Port Isabel 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 Texas using the regulator named above.
- Read the disclosure for origination fees and any prepayment penalty before you sign.