Red Cross at a glance
- Population: a Census-estimated 798, placing it 364th among North Carolina's 549 places (Vintage 2023 subcounty estimate).
- 2020 Census base: 762 people at the 2020 Census, the baseline for the trend below (US Census Bureau).
- 2020 to 2023 change: about 4.7% more residents than the 2020 Census base (US Census Bureau).
- Rank among North Carolina places: 364th in population of 549 places (US Census Bureau).
- Size percentile: roughly 34% of North Carolina's places have fewer residents (US Census Bureau).
- Coordinates: 35.2652 latitude, -80.3623 longitude (US Census Bureau Gazetteer).
- Nearest larger cities: Oakboro, NC (3 mi); Locust, NC (4 mi); Stanfield, NC (4 mi); Midland, NC (10 mi); Mount Pleasant, NC (10 mi), each a US Census place with its estimated population.
- Nearest smaller communities: New London, NC (14 mi); Misenheimer, NC (15 mi); Richfield, NC (15 mi), each a US Census place.
What a personal loan costs in Red Cross
A personal loan hands you a single sum and a repayment schedule of equal monthly installments over an agreed term.
Judge an offer by its APR, which blends the interest rate with fees, and use the personal loan calculator to see the total cost.
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.
North Carolina lending rules that apply in Red Cross
Where a figure is not published by the state, the row points to the source instead of guessing.
| Rule | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Payday lending status | Payday lenders shut down in North Carolina; online payday lending remains an enforcement target Source says: "Payday Lenders: Shut Down In NC, But Still Victimizing Borrowers Online" | North Carolina Department of Justice (Office of the Attorney General) as of 2026-09-16 |
| Small-loan / installment lender licensing | Consumer Finance Act license from the Commissioner of Banks required for loans of $25,000 or less charging more than Chapter 24 rates Source says: "Direct lenders seeking to charge rates higher than allowed under Chapter 24 on consumer term loans of twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000) or less" | North Carolina Office of the Commissioner of Banks as of 2026-09-16 |
| State lending regulator | North Carolina Office of the Commissioner of Banks (NCCOB) Source says: "Lenders operating under the CFA must be licensed by and are subject to regulation by the NCCOB." | North Carolina Office of the Commissioner of Banks as of 2026-09-16 |
| Consumer Finance Act installment loan rates (G.S. 53-176) | 33% per annum on unpaid balance up to $4,000; 24% on $4,000-$8,000; 18% on the remainder (loans up to $12,000); 18% for loans above $12,000 Source says: "thirty-three percent (33%) per annum on that part of the unpaid principal balance not exceeding four thousand dollars ($4,000)" | North Carolina General Assembly as of 2026-09-16 |
| Maximum legal interest rate (usury cap) | For loans of $25,000 or less: greater of the 6-month U.S. Treasury bill rate + 6% or 16% (G.S. 24-1.1(c)); any agreed rate above $25,000 Source says: "plus six percent (6%), rounded upward or downward ... or sixteen percent (16%), whichever is greater" | North Carolina General Assembly as of 2026-09-16 |
How to compare offers in Red Cross
The steps below are worth completing first when you borrow in Red Cross:
- 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 North Carolina using the regulator named above.
- Read the disclosure for origination fees and any prepayment penalty before you sign.