Welch at a glance
- Population: about 640, 273rd by size in Oklahoma of 590 places (Census Vintage 2023 subcounty estimate).
- 2020 Census base: 623 residents at the 2020 Census (US Census Bureau, 2020 count).
- 2020 to 2023 change: up about 2.7% from the 2020 Census base to the 2023 estimate (US Census Bureau).
- Rank among Oklahoma places: the 273rd-largest of 590 (US Census Bureau, 2023 estimate).
- Size percentile: ahead of around 54% of Oklahoma places in population terms (US Census Bureau).
- Coordinates: 36.8744 / -95.0944, per the US Census Bureau Gazetteer.
- Nearest larger cities within 120 miles: Chetopa, KS (11 mi); Miami, OK (12 mi); Commerce, OK (14 mi); Afton, OK (14 mi); Vinita, OK (16 mi) (US Census Bureau).
- Smaller towns nearby: Bluejacket, OK (5 mi); North Miami, OK (12 mi); Bartlett, KS (14 mi) (US Census Bureau).
What a personal loan costs in Welch
A personal loan is an installment loan: you receive a lump sum and repay it in fixed monthly payments over a set term, usually two to seven years.
The number to compare is the APR, not the interest rate, because the APR folds in origination fees and other charges; our personal loan calculator will show what a given amount and term would cost.
The offer you receive reflects the lender's read of your credit, income and debts, and the term controls the balance between payment size and total interest.
A useful rule is to keep the new payment inside the room your budget already has, so the loan eases pressure instead of adding to it.
Oklahoma lending rules that apply in Welch
The table lists the Oklahoma rules that apply to a loan made in Welch, each with the regulator that published it.
| Rule | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Small loan rate and principal caps (state-specific rule) | Small loans: interest capped at 17% per month; maximum aggregated principal of $1,500 per customer across all licensees (CPI-adjusted). Source says: "A licensee may only charge and collect a periodic interest rate not to exceed seventeen percent (17%) per month" (59 O.S. 3150.10(B)); max aggregated principal is $1,500 (3150.10(C)). | Oklahoma State Courts Network (Oklahoma Statutes, OSCN) as of 2026-09-16 |
| Maximum legal interest rate (usury cap) | 6% per annum legal rate in the absence of a contract; parties may agree to any rate authorized by law. Source says: "The legal rate of interest shall be six percent (6%) in the absence of any contract as to the rate of interest" (15 O.S. 266). | Oklahoma State Courts Network (Oklahoma Statutes, OSCN) as of 2026-09-16 |
| Payday lending status | Prohibited since August 1, 2020: no new deferred deposit (payday) loans may be made; all Deferred Deposit Lending Act licenses terminated. Source says: "Beginning on and after August 1, 2020, no new deferred deposit loan may be entered into or transacted by a licensee or other person" and "All Deferred Deposit Lending Act licenses shall be terminated and be deemed to have expired on August 1, 2020" (59 O.S. 3101.1). | Oklahoma State Courts Network (Oklahoma Statutes, OSCN) as of 2026-09-16 |
| Small-loan / installment lender licensing | Oklahoma Small Lender license required (Oklahoma Department of Consumer Credit); separate license per location; 59 O.S. 3150-3150.27. Source says: "no person shall engage in the business of making small loans... unless the person is licensed by the Department of Consumer Credit" (59 O.S. 3150.2). | Oklahoma State Courts Network (Oklahoma Statutes, OSCN) as of 2026-09-16 |
| State lending regulator | Oklahoma Department of Consumer Credit (OKDOCC) Source says: "The Department is responsible for the regulation of consumer credit sales and consumer loans in the State of Oklahoma." | Oklahoma Department of Consumer Credit as of 2026-09-16 |
How to compare offers in Welch
These steps are the ones that most affect the offer you receive in Welch:
- 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 Oklahoma using the regulator named above.
- Read the disclosure for origination fees and any prepayment penalty before you sign.