Personal loans in Baltimore, MD

A 2020-to-2023 comparison shows Baltimore down by about 3.5%. Rate ceilings, licensing requirements and product limits for Baltimore are all set at the Maryland level. Use the calculator on this page to price an amount and term before you commit in Baltimore. Being Maryland's biggest community, Baltimore has no larger in-state city within range.

Where Baltimore stands

The figures below are Baltimore's own — Census population, land area and coordinates — followed by the Maryland rules.

• Population: about 565,239, ranked 1st of 157 places in Maryland (Census Vintage 2023 subcounty estimate).
• Population trend: The 2020-to-2023 change is negative, near 3.5%.
• Net change: roughly 20,451 fewer people than the 2020 Census counted.
• Size percentile: bigger than about 99% of the places in Maryland, with 565,239 residents in Baltimore.
• Population density: about 6,983 people per square mile (Census land area 80.9 sq mi).
• Land area: Baltimore covers 80.9 square miles, the 1st-largest area among Maryland's 157 places.
• Water area rank: Baltimore ranks 1st among Maryland's 157 places, with 11.10 sq mi.
• Within Maryland: about 36.6% of the state's population lives in Baltimore.
• Nationally: Baltimore is the 27th-largest of 19,457 Census places in the dataset.
• Growth rank: Baltimore ranks 157th among Maryland's 157 places for the 2020-to-2023 change.
• Versus Maryland: the state average change is +0.7%, while Baltimore moved 3.5%.
• Density rank: Baltimore places 7th among Maryland's places by people per square mile.
• Against the state median: Baltimore runs about 6,983 residents per square mile, where the Maryland median is 1,734.
• Location: latitude 39.3000, longitude -76.6105 (Census Gazetteer).
• Nearest larger cities: Washington (35 mi); Philadelphia (93 mi). A bigger neighbour may offer more branches; the rate you see still follows your credit, not your address.
• Smaller communities within reach: Laurel (20 mi); Sykesville (20 mi); Bel Air (21 mi).
• Smaller places within 50 miles: 139 of them.
• At 100 miles: 2 larger Census places fall inside that radius.

Baltimore's place among Maryland's 157 places

Against Maryland's other places, Baltimore accounts for about 36.6% of the state's population and ranks 1st of 157 by size. Its 2020-to-2023 change ranks 157th of 157 Maryland places, putting it near the 0th percentile for growth. At about 6,983 people per square mile, Baltimore is the 7th most densely settled place in Maryland. By land area, its 80.9 square miles rank 1st of 157 places in Maryland.

Steps to take before a Baltimore loan

For Baltimore's roughly 565,239 residents, these are the steps that most influence the offer:

1. Check all three credit reports for mistakes, because an error you fix now is a lower rate later.
2. Price the payment first with our personal loan calculator before any lender quotes you.
3. Gather at least three pre-qualified offers and line up the APR, not the headline rate.
4. Verify the lender's Maryland licence with the regulator listed on this page.
5. If the balances are already a strain, seek nonprofit credit counselling before adding a loan.
6. Look for an origination fee or prepayment penalty in the written disclosure.
7. Check that the monthly payment fits your budget next to your existing obligations.

In Baltimore as elsewhere in Maryland, the written terms — not the advertisement — are what count for its 565,239 residents.

How a Baltimore personal loan is priced

With roughly 565,239 residents, Baltimore is a major metropolitan city; its personal loans are typically unsecured, priced from your credit rather than the city's size. Federal Truth in Lending rules require a Baltimore lender to disclose the APR and finance charge before you sign. Shortening the term on a Baltimore loan raises the monthly payment but cuts the interest; lengthening it does the reverse.

What Maryland law requires in Baltimore

This table holds the Maryland rate and licensing rules for consumer loans made to Baltimore's 565,239 residents.

Land, water and location for Baltimore

Inside Baltimore's boundaries lie roughly 80.9 square miles of land and 11.10 square miles of water. Spread across it are roughly 6,983 residents per square mile. Baltimore has 1 larger places within a 50-mile radius. Within the same 50 miles lie 139 smaller Census places.