Personal loans in Beaufort, SC

In Beaufort, one of 271 Census places in South Carolina, the figure to compare across lenders is the APR, not the advertised rate. Beaufort is home to roughly 13,850 people and stands 33rd by size out of 271 Census places in South Carolina.

By the Personalloaner Editorial Team · Last updated 2026-09-16

Compare loan offers Run the numbers first

How we get paid: if you apply through the link above, a lending partner may send us a referral fee. It never changes the rate you are offered or what we publish. We are not a lender and we do not process applications. The lowest rates are only available to the most qualified applicants. Full disclosure.

The nearest larger city is Port Royal, SC about 7 miles away. A 2020-to-2023 comparison shows Beaufort up by about 1.8%. When South Carolina caps or restricts a product, lenders either change the terms or withdraw it from Beaufort as from the rest of the state. Read the disclosure for an origination fee and any prepayment penalty before signing in Beaufort.

Beaufort: the sourced local profile

Read the local figures below as context; read the sourced South Carolina table as the rulebook a lender here must follow.

Where Beaufort sits

Inside Beaufort's boundaries lie roughly 24.5 square miles of land and 0.89 square miles of water. Spread across it are roughly 565 residents per square mile. The largest place in South Carolina, Charleston, lies about 51 miles away. Beaufort has 8 larger places within a 50-mile radius. Within the same 50 miles lie 39 smaller Census places.

How lenders reach Beaufort

At roughly 565 people per square mile, Beaufort is moderately settled; 8 larger places lie within 50 miles. A South Carolina licence lets a lender serve Beaufort without a local office, so branch density does not change what its 13,850 residents are offered. The nearest bigger place is Port Royal, SC about 7 miles away.

South Carolina rules behind a Beaufort personal loan

Below are the South Carolina rules that apply to a loan made in Beaufort, each with the regulator that issued it.

RuleDetailSource
State lending regulatorSouth 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
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

Steps to take before a Beaufort loan

Before you hand your details to a lender in Beaufort, where the population is near 13,850:

  1. Get all three reports, dispute anything wrong, and keep the corrected file for your applications.
  2. Price the payment first with our personal loan calculator before any lender quotes you.
  3. Pre-qualify with three or more lenders, then compare the APR rather than the interest rate.
  4. Confirm the lender holds a South Carolina licence by checking the regulator named above.
  5. Choose a term you can live with; stretching it lowers the payment but raises total interest.
  6. Do not borrow more than the expense calls for, even if a lender approves a larger amount.
  7. Decide the purpose and how you will repay it before approaching any lender.

What differs between Beaufort and the rest of South Carolina is not the process but the borrower's own file, among the 13,850 people here.

Where Beaufort sits in South Carolina

Beaufort is the 33rd-largest of 271 Census places in South Carolina and contains about 0.7% of the state's people. For population change between 2020 and 2023, Beaufort ranks 108th of 271 in South Carolina (about the 60th percentile). By density, at about 565 people per square mile, it ranks 141st in South Carolina. In land area, Beaufort ranks 15th among South Carolina's 271 places.

Compare personal loan offers Run the numbers first

How we get paid: if you apply through the link above, a lending partner may send us a referral fee. It never changes the rate you are offered or what we publish. We are not a lender and we do not process applications. The lowest rates are only available to the most qualified applicants. Full disclosure.

Common questions

What are my options in Beaufort if my credit is poor?
Borrowing is still possible, but expect a higher APR and a smaller approved amount. Lenders that accept lower scores hold statewide licences, so what is open to you in Beaufort is the same as anywhere in South Carolina.
What loan size can I expect in Beaufort?
Most personal loans sit somewhere between $1,000 and $50,000, though the figure you are approved for turns on the lender, your income and your credit. Model the monthly payment first with our personal loan calculator.
Do I have to pledge anything to borrow in Beaufort?
For an unsecured personal loan, no — there is nothing to pledge. A secured loan, such as home equity or one secured by a vehicle, does require collateral, and default puts that asset at risk.
Does comparing loans in Beaufort cost me credit score points?
Not during pre-qualification, which normally uses a soft pull and leaves your score alone. Submitting a full application triggers a hard inquiry, which can trim a few points briefly.

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