Taunton at a glance
- Population: 60,412 (US Census Bureau, Vintage 2023 subcounty estimate), the 18th-largest of 54 places in Massachusetts.
- 2020 Census base: 59,392 residents (US Census Bureau, 2020 Census).
- 2020 to 2023 change: a gain of roughly 1.7% between the 2020 count and the 2023 estimate (US Census Bureau).
- Rank among Massachusetts places: 18th of the state's 54 Census places (US Census Bureau).
- Size percentile: about 67% of places in Massachusetts are smaller (US Census Bureau).
- Coordinates: 41.9033 / -71.0950, per the US Census Bureau Gazetteer.
- Nearest larger cities (120-mile radius): Fall River, MA (12 mi); Brockton, MA (13 mi); Pawtucket, RI (14 mi); Providence, RI (18 mi); New Bedford, MA (19 mi) (US Census Bureau).
- Smaller places close by: Bridgewater Town, MA (8 mi); Attleboro, MA (10 mi); North Attleborough Town, MA (13 mi) (US Census Bureau).
What a personal loan costs in Taunton
Personal loans are closed-end installment debt, so the monthly payment and the payoff date are known from the start.
The advertised interest rate leaves out fees that the APR captures, which is why APR is the number to weigh; try the personal loan calculator before you apply.
The term is the lever: extend it and the payment falls while total interest climbs; shorten it and the reverse happens.
Most lenders offer pre-qualification with a soft credit pull, so you can see an estimated rate and amount without affecting your credit score.
Massachusetts lending rules that apply in Taunton
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 | Restricted: DOB states payday lending is not prohibited, but a 'payday loan' is illegal due to the high APR Source says: "Payday lending is not prohibited in Massachusetts. Yet what is referred to as a 'payday loan' is illegal" | Massachusetts Division of Banks as of 2026-09-16 |
| Small-loan / installment lender licensing | Small-loan license required for loans of $6,000 or less when interest and expenses exceed 12% per year (M.G.L. c. 140, § 96) Source says: "No person shall directly or indirectly engage in the business of making loans of six thousand dollars or less ... without first obtaining ... a license" | Massachusetts General Court as of 2026-09-16 |
| State lending regulator | Division of Banks (Office of the Commissioner of Banks) Source says: "The Division of Banks (DOB) cautions you when applying for a payday loan" | Massachusetts Division of Banks as of 2026-09-16 |
| Small-loan rate order | Maximum 23% per annum plus a $20 administrative fee (209 CMR 26.00/26.01) Source says: "Regulation 209 CMR 26.00 et seq. limits the annual interest rate that can be charged on small loans to 23%" | Massachusetts Division of Banks as of 2026-09-16 |
| Maximum legal interest rate (usury cap) | 20% per annum criminal-usury threshold (M.G.L. c. 271, § 49); statutory exceptions apply Source says: "interest and expenses the aggregate of which exceeds an amount greater than twenty per centum per annum upon the sum loaned" | Massachusetts General Court as of 2026-09-16 |
How to compare offers in Taunton
These steps are the ones that most affect the offer you receive in Taunton:
- 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 Massachusetts using the regulator named above.
- Read the disclosure for origination fees and any prepayment penalty before you sign.