River Grove at a glance
- Population: 10,282 residents, the 219th-largest of 1,294 places in Illinois (US Census Bureau, Vintage 2023).
- 2020 Census base: the 2020 Census recorded 10,613 residents here (US Census Bureau).
- 2020 to 2023 change: down about 3.1% from the 2020 Census base to the 2023 estimate (US Census Bureau).
- Rank among Illinois places: 219th out of 1,294 Census places (US Census Bureau).
- Size percentile: it exceeds roughly 83% of Illinois's Census places by population (US Census Bureau).
- Coordinates: 41.9243 latitude, -87.8379 longitude (US Census Bureau Gazetteer).
- Nearest larger cities: Elmwood Park, IL (1 mi); Melrose Park, IL (2 mi); River Forest, IL (2 mi); Franklin Park, IL (2 mi); Norridge, IL (3 mi); US Census Bureau population estimates.
- Smaller places close by: Stone Park, IL (3 mi); Harwood Heights, IL (3 mi); Berkeley, IL (4 mi) (US Census Bureau).
What a personal loan costs in River Grove
The defining feature of a personal loan is the fixed installment: the same payment every month until the term ends.
Two loans can share an interest rate and still differ in APR once fees are counted, so compare APR; our personal loan calculator shows the difference over the full term.
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.
If you are consolidating debt, the loan only helps if you stop adding to the balances it clears; otherwise the total debt grows.
Illinois lending rules that apply in River Grove
Read the table as the compliance picture for a lender serving River Grove: label, sourced figure, publisher and date.
| Rule | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Maximum legal interest rate (usury cap) | 9% annual percentage rate (general written-contract interest cap) Source says: "it shall be lawful for the parties to stipulate or agree that an annual percentage rate of 9%, or any less sum". | Illinois General Assembly (Illinois Compiled Statutes) as of 2026-09-16 |
| Payday lending status | Permitted under license; capped at 36% annual percentage rate (payday loans) Source says: "shall not contract for or receive a charge exceeding a 36% annual percentage rate ... for a payday loan". | Illinois General Assembly (Illinois Compiled Statutes) as of 2026-09-16 |
| Small-loan / installment lender licensing | Consumer Installment Loan Act license required from the Director of Financial Institutions (loans above 9% APR) Source says: "No person ... shall engage in the business of making loans of money ... except ... after first obtaining a license from the Director of Financial Institutions". | Illinois General Assembly (Illinois Compiled Statutes) as of 2026-09-16 |
| State lending regulator | Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR), Division of Financial Institutions Source says: "DFI licenses, charters, and examines a wide variety of financial products and services including: Consumer and Sales Finance and Collection Agencies". | Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation as of 2026-09-16 |
| Installment lender net-worth requirement | $30,000 minimum positive net worth (plus $25,000 surety bond) Source says: "every applicant shall prove ... that the applicant has and will maintain a positive net worth of a minimum of $30,000". | Illinois General Assembly (Illinois Compiled Statutes) as of 2026-09-16 |
How to compare offers in River Grove
The order below is a sensible way to approach a loan in River Grove:
- 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 Illinois using the regulator named above.
- Read the disclosure for origination fees and any prepayment penalty before you sign.