Swansboro at a glance
- Population: the Census estimates 4,137 residents, ranking 176th of 549 places in North Carolina (Vintage 2023).
- 2020 Census base: 3,742 people counted in the 2020 Census (US Census Bureau).
- 2020 to 2023 change: an increase of about 10.6% since the 2020 count (US Census Bureau).
- Rank among North Carolina places: 176th largest of 549 (US Census Bureau).
- Size percentile: about 68% of North Carolina's Census places are smaller (US Census Bureau).
- Coordinates: 34.6936 / -77.1343, per the US Census Bureau Gazetteer.
- Nearest larger cities: Jacksonville, NC (15 mi); Newport, NC (15 mi); Havelock, NC (20 mi); Morehead City, NC (23 mi); Beaufort, NC (28 mi); each population is a US Census Bureau estimate.
- Nearest smaller communities: Cedar Point, NC (3 mi); Cape Carteret, NC (4 mi); Peletier, NC (4 mi) (Census populations).
What a personal loan costs in Swansboro
The defining feature of a personal loan is the fixed installment: the same payment every month until the term ends.
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.
Choosing a longer term eases the monthly budget but adds interest over the life of the loan; a shorter term costs more per month and less overall.
If you are consolidating debt, the loan only helps if you stop adding to the balances it clears; otherwise the total debt grows.
North Carolina lending rules that apply in Swansboro
The table lists the North Carolina rules that apply to a loan made in Swansboro, each with the regulator that published it.
| Rule | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| 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 |
How to compare offers in Swansboro
These steps are the ones that most affect the offer you receive in Swansboro:
- 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.