West Carthage at a glance
- Population: 1,754 residents, the 324th-largest of 595 places in New York (US Census Bureau, Vintage 2023).
- 2020 Census base: 1,773 people at the 2020 Census, the baseline for the trend below (US Census Bureau).
- 2020 to 2023 change: a decline of roughly 1.1% between the 2020 count and the 2023 estimate (US Census Bureau).
- Rank among New York places: 324th largest of 595 (US Census Bureau).
- Size percentile: larger than about 46% of the Census places in New York (US Census Bureau).
- Coordinates: 43.9736 latitude, -75.6216 longitude (US Census Bureau Gazetteer).
- Nearest larger cities: Carthage, NY (1 mi); Watertown, NY (14 mi); Lowville, NY (15 mi); Gouverneur, NY (26 mi); Boonville, NY (37 mi) (Census populations, approximate straight-line distance).
- Nearest smaller towns: Deferiet, NY (5 mi); Copenhagen, NY (6 mi); Castorland, NY (8 mi) — US Census Bureau populations.
What a personal loan costs in West Carthage
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.
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.
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.
New York lending rules that apply in West Carthage
The table lists the New York rules that apply to a loan made in West Carthage, each with the regulator that published it.
| Rule | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| State lending regulator | New York State Department of Financial Services (DFS) Source says: "Notify the Department of Financial Services at (800) 342-3736 if you believe payday loans are being made in New York" | New York State Department of Financial Services as of 2026-09-16 |
| Criminal usury in the second degree (Penal Law 190.40) | Interest rate exceeding 25% per annum; class E felony Source says: "at a rate exceeding twenty-five per centum per annum or the equivalent rate for a longer or shorter period" | New York State Senate (Open Legislation) as of 2026-09-16 |
| Maximum legal interest rate (usury cap) | 16% per annum maximum civil rate (Banking Law 14-a; General Obligations Law 5-501) Source says: "The maximum rate of interest provided for in section 5-501 of the general obligations law shall be sixteen per centum per annum." | New York State Senate (Open Legislation) as of 2026-09-16 |
| Payday lending status | Illegal in New York State, in person, by telephone, or over the Internet Source says: "Payday loans are illegal in New York State." | New York State Department of Financial Services as of 2026-09-16 |
| Small-loan / installment lender licensing | Licensed Lender license required (Banking Law Article 9, sections 340-361); administered via NMLS Source says: "The Department of Financial Services uses the Nationwide Multistate Licensing System and Registry (NMLS) to manage the Licensed Lender License." | New York State Department of Financial Services as of 2026-09-16 |
How to compare offers in West Carthage
These steps are the ones that most affect the offer you receive in West Carthage:
- 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 New York using the regulator named above.
- Read the disclosure for origination fees and any prepayment penalty before you sign.