Waterford at a glance
- Population: roughly 9,323 people; 380th of 482 places in California (Census Vintage 2023 subcounty estimate).
- 2020 Census base: 9,127 residents in the 2020 Census, per the US Census Bureau.
- 2020 to 2023 change: a gain of roughly 2.1% between the 2020 count and the 2023 estimate (US Census Bureau).
- Rank among California places: the 380th-largest of 482 (US Census Bureau, 2023 estimate).
- Size percentile: it is larger than about 21% of the places in California (US Census Bureau).
- Coordinates: mapped at 37.6427, -120.7542 by the US Census Bureau Gazetteer.
- Nearest larger cities: Oakdale, CA (10 mi); Turlock, CA (11 mi); Riverbank, CA (12 mi); Ceres, CA (12 mi); Modesto, CA (14 mi); each population is a US Census Bureau estimate.
- Nearest smaller places: Hughson, CA (7 mi); Escalon, CA (17 mi); Gustine, CA (30 mi) (US Census Bureau estimates).
What a personal loan costs in Waterford
A personal loan hands you a single sum and a repayment schedule of equal monthly installments over an agreed term.
Compare offers on APR rather than the headline rate — the APR includes most fees, and you can model the total with our personal loan calculator.
The term is the lever: extend it and the payment falls while total interest climbs; shorten it and the reverse happens.
Set the loan amount from the expense itself rather than the maximum you are approved for, and keep the payment within your existing budget.
California lending rules that apply in Waterford
The table carries the California rate and licensing rules that apply to consumer loans made in Waterford.
| Rule | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Small-loan / installment lender licensing | Finance lender/broker license required from the Commissioner of Financial Protection and Innovation (California Financing Law) Source says: "No person shall engage in the business of a finance lender or broker without obtaining a license from the commissioner". | California Legislature — Financial Code § 22100 as of 2026-09-16 |
| State lending regulator | California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation (DFPI) Source says: "“Department” means the Department of Financial Protection and Innovation". | California Legislature — Financial Code § 23001 as of 2026-09-16 |
| 36% rate cap on mid-size consumer loans (AB 539) | Consumer loans of $2,500 to under $10,000: cap of 36% per annum simple interest plus the Federal Funds Rate Source says: "charges at a rate not exceeding an annual simple interest rate of 36 percent per annum plus the Federal Funds Rate". | California Legislature — Financial Code § 22304.5 as of 2026-09-16 |
| Maximum legal interest rate (usury cap) | 7% per annum default; written contracts may set up to 10% per annum for consumer-purpose loans Source says: "shall be 7 percent per annum"; "for use primarily for personal, family, or household purposes, at a rate not exceeding 10 percent per annum". | California Legislature — California Constitution, Article XV, § 1 as of 2026-09-16 |
| Payday lending status | Permitted under the California Deferred Deposit Transaction Law; max $300 face amount; fee ≤15%; term up to 31 days Source says: "The face amount of the check shall not exceed three hundred dollars ($300)"; "A fee for a deferred deposit transaction shall not exceed 15 percent of the face amount of the check" (Financial Code § 23036). | California Legislature — Financial Code § 23035 (and § 23036) as of 2026-09-16 |
How to compare offers in Waterford
These steps are the ones that most affect the offer you receive in Waterford:
- 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 California using the regulator named above.
- Read the disclosure for origination fees and any prepayment penalty before you sign.