Waldo at a glance
- Population: 1,119, the 177th-largest community in Arkansas out of 500 (US Census Bureau, Vintage 2023).
- 2020 Census base: 1,147 people (US Census Bureau, 2020 Census count).
- 2020 to 2023 change: down about 2.4% from the 2020 Census base to the 2023 estimate (US Census Bureau).
- Rank among Arkansas places: 177th-largest of 500 (US Census Bureau, Vintage 2023 estimate).
- Size percentile: about 65% of Arkansas's Census places are smaller (US Census Bureau).
- Coordinates: 33.3519 latitude, -93.2954 longitude (US Census Bureau Gazetteer).
- Nearest larger cities: Magnolia, AR (7 mi); Stamps, AR (12 mi); Springhill, LA (26 mi); Hope, AR (28 mi); Haynesville, LA (28 mi); US Census Bureau population estimates.
- Nearest smaller communities: McNeil, AR (5 mi); Buckner, AR (8 mi); Willisville, AR (11 mi) (Census populations).
What a personal loan costs in Waldo
The defining feature of a personal loan is the fixed installment: the same payment every month until the term ends.
Compare every quote on APR because it includes the fees the interest rate hides, and check the payment with our personal loan calculator.
Because interest accrues for longer, a longer term means a lower installment and a higher total cost — decide which matters more to you.
Pre-qualification is a good first filter: it shows the rate and amount a lender may offer before you agree to a full application and a hard inquiry.
Arkansas lending rules that apply in Waldo
The Arkansas rate caps and licensing rules that reach Waldo are listed below, each with its source and retrieval date.
| Rule | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Payday lending status | Not permitted — all storefront payday lending eliminated; the Attorney General has worked to eliminate all forms of payday lending since 2008 Source says: "the Attorney General's office has worked to eliminate all forms of payday lending in Arkansas"; "all storefront payday loan operations in Arkansas have been shut down". | Arkansas Attorney General — Consumer Protection Division as of 2026-09-16 |
| Small-loan / installment lender licensing | See the latest published figure value_text left null: the State Bank Department does not publish a consumer small-loan license rate schedule that could be verified; storefront payday lending has been eliminated (see Payday lending status). See the linked regulator page for the licensee categories it supervises. | Arkansas State Bank Department as of 2026-09-16 |
| State lending regulator | Arkansas State Bank Department Source says: "The Department is charged with regulating state-chartered commercial banks with main offices in Arkansas". | Arkansas State Bank Department as of 2026-09-16 |
| Maximum legal interest rate (usury cap) | 17% per annum for loans not made by or to governmental units or by federally insured depository institutions (Amendment 89, effective January 1, 2011) Source says: "shall not exceed seventeen percent (17%) per annum". | Arkansas Legislature — Arkansas Constitution, Amendment 89, § 3 (proposed by H.J.R. 1004 of 2009) as of 2026-09-16 |
How to compare offers in Waldo
A few practical steps will make the process in Waldo less costly:
- 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 Arkansas using the regulator named above.
- Read the disclosure for origination fees and any prepayment penalty before you sign.