Sunset Beach at a glance
- Population: 4,544 people, the 165th-largest place among North Carolina's 549 Census places (US Census Bureau, Vintage 2023).
- 2020 Census base: 4,180 people (US Census Bureau, 2020 Census count).
- 2020 to 2023 change: up roughly 8.7% across the 2020-to-2023 comparison (US Census Bureau).
- Rank among North Carolina places: 165th of 549 by population (US Census Bureau, Vintage 2023).
- Size percentile: about 70% of North Carolina's Census places are smaller (US Census Bureau).
- Coordinates: it sits at 33.8923, -78.5073 in the US Census Bureau Gazetteer.
- Nearest larger cities (within 120 miles): Carolina Shores, NC (4 mi); Shallotte, NC (9 mi); North Myrtle Beach, SC (12 mi); Oak Island, NC (22 mi); St. James, NC (24 mi) (US Census Bureau populations).
- Nearest smaller places: Calabash, NC (2 mi); Ocean Isle Beach, NC (3 mi); Holden Beach, NC (11 mi) (US Census Bureau estimates).
What a personal loan costs in Sunset Beach
A personal loan is structured as an installment plan, with a set number of monthly payments and a fixed amount due each time.
Compare every quote on APR because it includes the fees the interest rate hides, and check the payment with our personal loan calculator.
A longer term reduces what you owe each month and increases the total interest, which is the trade-off to weigh before choosing one.
Before you borrow, decide what the loan is for and whether the monthly payment fits a budget you can already meet without taking on new debt.
North Carolina lending rules that apply in Sunset Beach
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 | 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 Sunset Beach
These steps are the ones that most affect the offer you receive in Sunset Beach:
- 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.