Yemassee at a glance
- Population: roughly 1,082 people; 147th of 271 places in South Carolina (Census Vintage 2023 subcounty estimate).
- 2020 Census base: 1,096 residents (US Census Bureau, 2020 Census).
- 2020 to 2023 change: population fell about 1.3% (US Census Bureau Vintage 2023 estimate vs 2020 Census).
- Rank among South Carolina places: the 147th-largest of 271 (US Census Bureau, 2023 estimate).
- Size percentile: larger than about 46% of the Census places in South Carolina (US Census Bureau).
- Coordinates: 32.6783, -80.8479 (US Census Bureau Gazetteer).
- Nearest larger cities: Ridgeland, SC (15 mi); Beaufort, SC (17 mi); Varnville, SC (18 mi); Walterboro, SC (18 mi); Hampton, SC (20 mi) (Census populations, approximate straight-line distance).
- Nearest smaller communities: Furman, SC (20 mi); Scotia, SC (23 mi); Williams, SC (25 mi), each a US Census place.
What a personal loan costs in Yemassee
With an installment loan the payment is fixed for the life of the loan, so the schedule is predictable from the first month to the last.
The APR is the comparable price of a loan since it folds in fees; model any offer with the personal loan calculator first.
A longer repayment period spreads the cost and increases the interest paid, so compare total cost, not just the monthly figure.
Work out the payment you can comfortably carry each month first, then borrow no more than that figure supports.
South Carolina lending rules that apply in Yemassee
Each row below is a South Carolina rule with its publisher and the date it was retrieved.
| Rule | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| 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 |
How to compare offers in Yemassee
The steps below are worth completing first when you borrow in Yemassee:
- 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.