Winter Haven at a glance
- Population: 57,109 residents, the 55th-largest of 411 places in Florida (US Census Bureau, Vintage 2023).
- 2020 Census base: the 2020 count put the population at 50,230 (US Census Bureau).
- 2020 to 2023 change: an increase of about 13.7% since the 2020 count (US Census Bureau).
- Rank among Florida places: 55th by size among 411 communities (US Census Bureau).
- Size percentile: roughly 87% of Florida's places have fewer residents (US Census Bureau).
- Coordinates: 28.0458 latitude, -81.7327 longitude (US Census Bureau Gazetteer).
- Nearest larger cities (within 120 miles): Lakeland, FL (14 mi); Kissimmee, FL (26 mi); St. Cloud, FL (30 mi); Orlando, FL (38 mi); Tampa, FL (46 mi) (US Census Bureau populations).
- Smaller places close by: Eagle Lake, FL (5 mi); Auburndale, FL (6 mi); Lake Alfred, FL (6 mi) (US Census Bureau).
What a personal loan costs in Winter Haven
Personal loans are installment credit — one lump sum, repaid in equal monthly installments across a fixed term you agree to up front.
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.
If you are consolidating debt, the loan only helps if you stop adding to the balances it clears; otherwise the total debt grows.
Florida lending rules that apply in Winter Haven
Each row below is a Florida rule with its publisher and the date it was retrieved.
| Rule | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| State lending regulator | Florida Office of Financial Regulation (OFR) Source says: "The Office of Financial Regulation is a state-government agency created by the Governor and Cabinet to provide regulatory oversight for Florida's financial services industry". | Florida Office of Financial Regulation as of 2026-09-16 |
| Deferred presentment fee cap | 10% of the amount provided (transactions not repayable in installments) Source says: "A deferred presentment provider or its affiliate may not charge fees that exceed 10 percent of the currency or payment instrument provided". | Florida Legislature (The Florida Senate, Online Sunshine) as of 2026-09-16 |
| Maximum legal interest rate (usury cap) | 18% per annum simple interest (loans/advances of $500,000 or less; loans above $500,000 are exempt from this cap) Source says: "it shall be usury and unlawful ... to ... charge ... a rate of interest greater than the equivalent of 18 percent per annum simple interest". | Florida Legislature (The Florida Senate, Online Sunshine) as of 2026-09-16 |
| Payday lending status | Permitted under license (deferred presentment providers; money services business license under chapter 560) Source says: "Businesses intending to engage in deferred presentment transactions must be licensed as a money services business under chapter 560, Florida Statutes". | Florida Office of Financial Regulation as of 2026-09-16 |
| Small-loan / installment lender licensing | Consumer finance loan license required (chapter 516) Source says: "A person must not engage in the business of making consumer finance loans ... unless ... the person first obtains a license from the office". | Florida Legislature (The Florida Senate, Online Sunshine) as of 2026-09-16 |
How to compare offers in Winter Haven
The order below is a sensible way to approach a loan in Winter Haven:
- 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 Florida using the regulator named above.
- Read the disclosure for origination fees and any prepayment penalty before you sign.