Raiford at a glance
- Population: 225 residents, the 397th-largest of 411 places in Florida (US Census Bureau, Vintage 2023).
- 2020 Census base: 219 residents in the 2020 Census, per the US Census Bureau.
- 2020 to 2023 change: about 2.7% growth over the 2020 Census base (US Census Bureau).
- Rank among Florida places: 397th of 411 by population (US Census Bureau, Vintage 2023).
- Size percentile: ahead of around 3% of Florida places in population terms (US Census Bureau).
- Coordinates: mapped at 30.0637, -82.2408 by the US Census Bureau Gazetteer.
- Nearest larger cities: Lake Butler, FL (7 mi); Lawtey, FL (10 mi); Starke, FL (11 mi); Brooker, FL (13 mi); Worthington Springs, FL (13 mi); each population is a US Census Bureau estimate.
- Nearest smaller towns: Otter Creek, FL (60 mi); Marineland, FL (67 mi); Argyle, GA (74 mi) — US Census Bureau populations.
What a personal loan costs in Raiford
Unlike a revolving credit card, a personal loan is closed-end: the balance falls on a fixed schedule and the payment does not change.
Because the APR includes origination and finance charges, it is the honest comparison number; the personal loan calculator turns an APR and term into a monthly payment.
Lenders weigh your credit history, income and debts when they set the rate, and the term you choose then determines how that rate compounds into total cost.
A payment that strains the budget is a warning sign; a smaller loan or a little more saving time is the safer route.
Florida lending rules that apply in Raiford
The Florida rate caps and licensing rules that reach Raiford are listed below, each with its source and retrieval date.
| Rule | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Payday lending status | Permitted under license (deferred presentment providers; money services business license under chapter 560) Source says: "Businesses intending to engage in deferred presentment transactions must be licensed as a money services business under chapter 560, Florida Statutes". | Florida Office of Financial Regulation as of 2026-09-16 |
| Small-loan / installment lender licensing | Consumer finance loan license required (chapter 516) Source says: "A person must not engage in the business of making consumer finance loans ... unless ... the person first obtains a license from the office". | Florida Legislature (The Florida Senate, Online Sunshine) as of 2026-09-16 |
| State lending regulator | Florida Office of Financial Regulation (OFR) Source says: "The Office of Financial Regulation is a state-government agency created by the Governor and Cabinet to provide regulatory oversight for Florida's financial services industry". | Florida Office of Financial Regulation as of 2026-09-16 |
| Deferred presentment fee cap | 10% of the amount provided (transactions not repayable in installments) Source says: "A deferred presentment provider or its affiliate may not charge fees that exceed 10 percent of the currency or payment instrument provided". | Florida Legislature (The Florida Senate, Online Sunshine) as of 2026-09-16 |
| Maximum legal interest rate (usury cap) | 18% per annum simple interest (loans/advances of $500,000 or less; loans above $500,000 are exempt from this cap) Source says: "it shall be usury and unlawful ... to ... charge ... a rate of interest greater than the equivalent of 18 percent per annum simple interest". | Florida Legislature (The Florida Senate, Online Sunshine) as of 2026-09-16 |
How to compare offers in Raiford
Before you commit to a personal loan in Raiford, 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 Florida using the regulator named above.
- Read the disclosure for origination fees and any prepayment penalty before you sign.