Potsdam at a glance
- Population: about 222, 805th by size in Ohio of 924 places (Census Vintage 2023 subcounty estimate).
- 2020 Census base: the 2020 count put the population at 224 (US Census Bureau).
- 2020 to 2023 change: down roughly 0.9% across the 2020-to-2023 comparison (US Census Bureau).
- Rank among Ohio places: 805th by size among 924 communities (US Census Bureau).
- Size percentile: ahead of around 13% of Ohio places in population terms (US Census Bureau).
- Coordinates: 39.9637, -84.4148 (US Census Bureau Gazetteer).
- Nearest larger cities (within 120 miles): Laura, OH (2 mi); Pitsburg, OH (4 mi); Phillipsburg, OH (4 mi); West Milton, OH (5 mi); Gordon, OH (6 mi) (US Census Bureau populations).
- Nearest smaller towns: Ludlow Falls, OH (5 mi); Ithaca, OH (8 mi); Castine, OH (11 mi) — US Census Bureau populations.
What a personal loan costs in Potsdam
A personal loan is an installment loan: you receive a lump sum and repay it in fixed monthly payments over a set term, usually two to seven years.
Judge an offer by its APR, which blends the interest rate with fees, and use the personal loan calculator to see the total cost.
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.
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.
Ohio lending rules that apply in Potsdam
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 for licensed short-term lenders; interest capped at 28% per annum; total fees and charges capped at 60% of the originally contracted loan amount. Source says: "(A) Interest not exceeding a rate of twenty-eight per cent per annum" (Ohio Rev. Code 1321.40); total fees/charges capped at "a total amount of fees and charges that exceeds sixty per cent of the originally contracted loan amount" (1321.403). | Ohio Laws (Ohio Revised Code - official state publication) as of 2026-09-16 |
| Small-loan / installment lender licensing | Consumer finance licenses required for non-depository lenders, including Consumer Installment Loan Act lenders, General Loan Law lenders, short-term lenders, and small loan lenders. Source says: "We issue and manage licenses for companies and individuals under multiple Ohio statutes." (page's regulated-statutes list names Consumer Installment Loan Act lenders, General Loan Law lenders, Short-term lenders, Small loan lenders). | Ohio Department of Commerce - Division of Financial Institutions as of 2026-09-16 |
| State lending regulator | Ohio Department of Commerce, Division of Financial Institutions (Consumer Finance Section). Source says: "The Consumer Finance Section is responsible for regulating non-depository consumer lenders and related consumer finance businesses." | Ohio Department of Commerce - Division of Financial Institutions as of 2026-09-16 |
| Maximum legal interest rate (usury cap) | 8% per annum maximum by written agreement for the general case; higher rates permitted only in specified cases (e.g., principal over $100,000, business loans, certain mortgages). Source says: "may stipulate therein for the payment of interest upon the amount thereof at any rate not exceeding eight per cent per annum payable annually" (Ohio Rev. Code 1343.01(A)). [codes.ohio.gov content retrieved via search-engine fetch of the official section; direct connections blocked from our network] | Ohio Laws (Ohio Revised Code - official state publication) as of 2026-09-16 |
How to compare offers in Potsdam
The order below is a sensible way to approach a loan in Potsdam:
- 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 Ohio using the regulator named above.
- Read the disclosure for origination fees and any prepayment penalty before you sign.