West Pelzer at a glance
- Population: 1,006 people, the 151st-largest place among South Carolina's 271 Census places (US Census Bureau, Vintage 2023).
- 2020 Census base: the 2020 count put the population at 963 (US Census Bureau).
- 2020 to 2023 change: up about 4.5% from the 2020 Census base to the 2023 estimate (US Census Bureau).
- Rank among South Carolina places: 151st largest of 271 (US Census Bureau).
- Size percentile: roughly 44% of South Carolina's places have fewer residents (US Census Bureau).
- Coordinates: 34.6449 latitude, -82.4748 longitude (US Census Bureau Gazetteer).
- Nearest larger cities: Pelzer, SC (1 mi); Williamston, SC (2 mi); Belton, SC (8 mi); Anderson, SC (13 mi); Mauldin, SC (14 mi) (Census populations, approximate straight-line distance).
- Smaller towns nearby: Norris, SC (18 mi); Donalds, SC (20 mi); Gray Court, SC (21 mi) (US Census Bureau).
What a personal loan costs in West Pelzer
A personal loan gives you the full amount at once and spreads repayment over a set number of months at a fixed payment.
Judge an offer by its APR, which blends the interest rate with fees, and use the personal loan calculator to see the total cost.
Because interest accrues for longer, a longer term means a lower installment and a higher total cost — decide which matters more to you.
Most lenders offer pre-qualification with a soft credit pull, so you can see an estimated rate and amount without affecting your credit score.
South Carolina lending rules that apply in West Pelzer
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Supervised loan threshold (state-specific rule) | Consumer loans with a finance charge above 12%/year are "supervised loans" requiring licensed supervised lenders; supervised lenders may charge up to 18% per year on unpaid balances. Source says: "Supervised loan means a consumer loan in which the rate of the loan finance charge exceeds twelve percent per year" (37-3-301); "eighteen percent per year on the unpaid balances of principal" (37-3-201(2)(c)). | South Carolina Legislature (S.C. Code of Laws) as of 2026-09-16 |
| Maximum legal interest rate (usury cap) | 8.75% per annum statutory legal rate where no rate is agreed (judgment rate: Wall Street Journal prime + 4 points). Source says: "the legal interest shall be at the rate of eight and three-fourths percent per annum" (S.C. Code 34-31-20(A)). | South Carolina Legislature (S.C. Code of Laws) as of 2026-09-16 |
| Payday lending status | Legal for licensed deferred presentment providers; max $550 advanced at one time; fee limited to 15% of principal; term up to 31 days; 2025 repeal bill S.379 introduced but not enacted. Source says: "The total amount advanced by a licensee to any customer at one time for deferred presentment or deposit may not exceed five hundred fifty dollars" (34-39-180(B)); fees capped at "fifteen percent of the principal amount of the transaction" (34-39-180(E)). | South Carolina Legislature (S.C. Code of Laws) as of 2026-09-16 |
| Small-loan / installment lender licensing | Consumer Finance Division licenses and regulates companies making consumer loans with APRs exceeding 12% (Title 37 Consumer Protection Code; Consumer Finance Act, Title 34, ch. 29). Source says: "The Consumer Finance Division (CFD) licenses and regulates the business activities of all companies... that make consumer loans which have annual percentage rates exceeding 12%." | South Carolina State Board of Financial Institutions - Consumer Finance Division as of 2026-09-16 |
| State lending regulator | South Carolina State Board of Financial Institutions - Consumer Finance Division (Office of the Commissioner of Consumer Finance) Source says: "South Carolina State Board of Financial Institutions Office of the Commissioner of Consumer Finance" (site heading). | South Carolina State Board of Financial Institutions - Consumer Finance Division as of 2026-09-16 |
How to compare offers in West Pelzer
A few practical steps will make the process in West Pelzer 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 South Carolina using the regulator named above.
- Read the disclosure for origination fees and any prepayment penalty before you sign.