Wake Forest at a glance
- Population: 54,337 people, the 20th-largest place among North Carolina's 549 Census places (US Census Bureau, Vintage 2023).
- 2020 Census base: 47,980 residents in the 2020 Census, per the US Census Bureau.
- 2020 to 2023 change: up about 13.2% from the 2020 Census base to the 2023 estimate (US Census Bureau).
- Rank among North Carolina places: 20th of 549 by population (US Census Bureau, Vintage 2023).
- Size percentile: roughly 96% of places in North Carolina rank below it by population (US Census Bureau).
- Coordinates: mapped at 35.9644, -78.5133 by the US Census Bureau Gazetteer.
- Nearest larger cities: Raleigh, NC (12 mi); Cary, NC (21 mi); Durham, NC (22 mi); Apex, NC (26 mi); Chapel Hill, NC (30 mi) (Census populations, approximate straight-line distance).
- Nearest smaller communities: Rolesville, NC (4 mi); Youngsville, NC (5 mi); Franklinton, NC (10 mi), each a US Census place.
What a personal loan costs in Wake Forest
The defining feature of a personal loan is the fixed installment: the same payment every month until the term ends.
APR, not the simple interest rate, reflects what the loan actually costs once fees are included; the personal loan calculator puts a figure on it.
A longer repayment period spreads the cost and increases the interest paid, so compare total cost, not just the monthly figure.
A payment that strains the budget is a warning sign; a smaller loan or a little more saving time is the safer route.
North Carolina lending rules that apply in Wake Forest
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 |
|---|---|---|
| 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 Wake Forest
The steps below are worth completing first when you borrow in Wake Forest:
- 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.