Personal loans in Kiawah Island, SC

To lend to Kiawah Island's 1,975 residents, a company must hold a South Carolina licence, and each sourced row below names the regulator behind it.

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

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By population, Kiawah Island sits at 115th in South Carolina, with an estimated 1,975 residents. The roughly 1,975 people who live in Kiawah Island borrow under South Carolina rules; city hall sets no personal-loan rate. Kiawah Island lost roughly 2.0% of its population across the 2020-to-2023 comparison. Use the calculator on this page to price an amount and term before you commit in Kiawah Island. The nearest larger city is Folly Beach, SC about 7 miles away.

The Kiawah Island data picture

Here is the sourced Census picture for Kiawah Island, plus the South Carolina lending rules that apply to a loan taken out here.

Population: 1,975 residents; Kiawah Island is the 115th-largest of 271 places in South Carolina (US Census Bureau, Vintage 2023).
Population trend: Down about 2.0% from the 2020 Census base to the 2023 estimate.
Net change: roughly 40 fewer people than the 2020 Census counted.
Size percentile: roughly 58% of South Carolina's places have fewer residents than Kiawah Island's 1,975.
Population density: 177 people per square mile on 11.2 square miles of land.
By land area: Kiawah Island ranks 37th among South Carolina's 271 places, at 11.2 sq mi.
Water: Kiawah Island holds about 3.97 square miles, the 5th-largest water area in South Carolina.
Within South Carolina: about 0.1% of the state's population lives in Kiawah Island.
National standing: Kiawah Island ranks 7,682nd of 19,457 US places.
Growth rank: Kiawah Island's 2020-to-2023 change ranks 210th of 271 places in South Carolina.
Versus South Carolina: the state average change is +2.6%, while Kiawah Island moved 2.0%.
Density rank: Kiawah Island places 220th among South Carolina's places by people per square mile.
Against the state median: Kiawah Island runs about 177 residents per square mile, where the South Carolina median is 584.
Location: coordinates 32.6164, -80.0606 (US Census Bureau Gazetteer).
Nearest larger cities: Folly Beach (7 mi); Seabrook Island (8 mi); James Island (11 mi); Hollywood (12 mi); Ravenel (15 mi). Living near a larger metro rarely changes what is available in Kiawah Island.
Nearest smaller towns: Rockville (8 mi); Meggett (13 mi); Edisto Beach (17 mi).
Smaller neighbours: 13 places smaller than Kiawah Island sit within 50 miles.
Within 100 miles: 49 places are larger than Kiawah Island.

The anatomy of a Kiawah Island personal loan

Most loans made to Kiawah Island's 1,975 residents are unsecured, so nothing is pledged and the lender relies on your credit history. The APR tracks your credit score rather than Kiawah Island's rank of 115th in South Carolina: a strong file may earn a single-digit rate, while damaged credit can push the rate far higher. A longer term lowers the monthly payment on a Kiawah Island loan but raises total interest, so the smallest payment is not the cheapest loan.

Kiawah Island in state context

Among South Carolina's 271 places, Kiawah Island sits at 115th for population, a share of roughly 0.1% of the state. On the 2020-to-2023 trend, Kiawah Island stands 210th among South Carolina's 271 places — roughly the 23th percentile. By density, at about 177 people per square mile, it ranks 220th in South Carolina. Within 50 miles sit 13 smaller Census places, alongside the 17 that are larger.

Getting a loan in Kiawah Island

With about 177 residents per square mile, Kiawah Island is lightly settled, and 17 larger Census places sit within 50 miles. Lenders licensed in South Carolina reach Kiawah Island's 1,975 residents online, so the nearest branch is not what sets your APR. The nearest larger city, Folly Beach, SC about 7 miles away.

A pre-application checklist for Kiawah Island

Before you hand your details to a lender in Kiawah Island, where the population is near 1,975:

Start with the credit file: order the reports, fix the errors, then apply.
Use the loan calculator to test the payment on your intended amount and term.
Gather at least three pre-qualified offers and line up the APR, not the headline rate.
Verify the lender's South Carolina licence with the regulator listed on this page.
If debt is already a struggle, talk to a nonprofit credit counsellor before borrowing more.
Check the disclosure for fees that raise the true cost above the quoted rate.
Make sure the new payment leaves room in a budget you already keep.

What differs between Kiawah Island and the rest of South Carolina is not the process but the borrower's own file, among the 1,975 people here.

The South Carolina lending rules that reach Kiawah Island

When South Carolina does not publish a figure, the row links to the source instead of inventing a number; Kiawah Island is bound by the same rules.

Rule	Detail	Source
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
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

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Common questions

What are my options in Kiawah Island 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 Kiawah Island is the same as anywhere in South Carolina.

What loan size can I expect in Kiawah Island?

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 Kiawah Island?

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 Kiawah Island 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.

Nearby places

Folly Beach, SC — population 2,083
Seabrook Island, SC — population 2,103
Rockville, SC — population 138
James Island, SC — population 11,903
Hollywood, SC — population 5,445
Meggett, SC — population 1,431
Charleston, SC — population 155,369
Ravenel, SC — population 2,642