Ridgeland at a glance
- Population: the Census estimates 24,459 residents, ranking 17th of 299 places in Mississippi (Vintage 2023).
- 2020 Census base: 24,662 people (US Census Bureau, 2020 Census count).
- 2020 to 2023 change: a loss of about 0.8% since the 2020 count (US Census Bureau).
- Rank among Mississippi places: 17th of the state's 299 Census places (US Census Bureau).
- Size percentile: it is larger than about 94% of the places in Mississippi (US Census Bureau).
- Coordinates: mapped at 32.4237, -90.1618 by the US Census Bureau Gazetteer.
- Nearest larger cities: Madison, MS (4 mi); Jackson, MS (8 mi); Pearl, MS (11 mi); Clinton, MS (12 mi); Brandon, MS (14 mi) (Census populations, approximate straight-line distance).
- Nearest smaller communities: Flowood, MS (8 mi); Gluckstadt, MS (8 mi); Flora, MS (12 mi) (Census populations).
What a personal loan costs in Ridgeland
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.
A longer repayment period spreads the cost and increases the interest paid, so compare total cost, not just the monthly figure.
A useful rule is to keep the new payment inside the room your budget already has, so the loan eases pressure instead of adding to it.
Mississippi lending rules that apply in Ridgeland
The table lists the Mississippi rules that apply to a loan made in Ridgeland, each with the regulator that published it.
| Rule | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Delayed-deposit (payday) fee caps | $20 per $100 advanced on checks ≤$250; $21.95 per $100 on checks over $250 (DBCF rule) Source says: "Delayed deposit transaction: $20.00 per $100.00 advanced for checks $250.00 and under" | Mississippi Secretary of State (DBCF administrative regulations) as of 2026-09-16 |
| Maximum legal interest rate (usury cap) | See the latest published figure value_text left null: the maximum finance charge for licensed small-loan lenders is set by Miss. Code § 75-17-21, which § 75-67-119 references as the limit; no retrievable official page published the current figure for direct verification. | Mississippi Department of Banking and Consumer Finance as of 2026-09-16 |
| Payday lending status | Legal and licensed — check cashers (delayed-deposit/payday transactions) are licensed consumer-finance industries regulated by DBCF (Miss. Code § 75-67-501 et seq.) Source says: "These industries include Money Transmitter, Small Loan, Check Cashers, Pawnbroker, Title Pledge, Consumer Loan Broker" | Mississippi Department of Banking and Consumer Finance as of 2026-09-16 |
| Small-loan / installment lender licensing | Small loan license required (Small Loan Regulatory Law; Miss. Code § 75-67-105) Source says: "No person shall engage in the business of lending money ... without being the holder of a valid and subsisting license" | Mississippi Department of Banking and Consumer Finance as of 2026-09-16 |
| State lending regulator | Mississippi Department of Banking and Consumer Finance (DBCF) Source says: "The Mississippi Department of Banking and Consumer Finance's (DBCF) mission is to regulate, supervise and safeguard financial institutions chartered and licensed in Mississippi" | Mississippi Department of Banking and Consumer Finance as of 2026-09-16 |
How to compare offers in Ridgeland
The order below is a sensible way to approach a loan in Ridgeland:
- 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 Mississippi using the regulator named above.
- Read the disclosure for origination fees and any prepayment penalty before you sign.