Personal loans in Merced, CA
If you are weighing a personal loan in Merced, start from the payment you can carry; its 93,692 residents face the same statewide rules. Merced ranks 80th of 482 places in California, with a population near 93,692.
Merced gained roughly 8.5% in population across the 2020-to-2023 comparison. To lend to Merced's 93,692 residents, a company must hold a California licence, and each sourced row below names the regulator behind it. Verify the lender's California licence against the regulator named below before borrowing in Merced. For a bigger market, look to Modesto, CA about 37 miles away.
Merced: the sourced local profile
Merced is a mid-sized city; the notes below cover its population profile and the statewide rules that apply.
- Population: 93,692 — Merced ranks 80th of 482 communities in California (US Census Bureau, Vintage 2023).
- Population trend: The 2020-to-2023 change is positive, near 8.5%.
- People gained or lost: about 7,323 more since the 2020 base.
- Size percentile: roughly 83% of California places rank below Merced.
- Density: roughly 4,030 residents per square mile, spread over 23.2 sq mi of land.
- Land area rank: Merced's 23.2 square miles rank 98th of 482 places in California.
- Within California: about 0.3% of the state's population lives in Merced.
- Nationally: Merced is the 355th-largest of 19,457 Census places in the dataset.
- Growth in California: Merced stands 10th by percentage change from 2020 to 2023, among 482 places.
- Versus California: the state average change is -1.3%, while Merced moved 8.5%.
- Density in California: Merced ranks 189th by people per square mile.
- Density in context: Merced's 4,030 people per square mile sit against a California median of 3,455.
- Location: 37.3057, -120.4779 (US Census Bureau Gazetteer).
- Nearest larger cities: Modesto (37 mi); Fresno (52 mi); Clovis (55 mi); Tracy (61 mi); Stockton (65 mi). Online lenders reach Merced no matter how far the nearest branch is.
- Smaller communities close by: Atwater (7 mi); Livingston (15 mi); Chowchilla (18 mi), each with its own Census population profile.
- Smaller neighbours: 21 places smaller than Merced sit within 50 miles.
- Larger places within 100 miles: 15.
Merced in state context
Set beside California's 482 places, Merced ranks 80th by population and holds about 0.3% of the state total. For population change between 2020 and 2023, Merced ranks 10th of 482 in California (about the 98th percentile). By density, at about 4,030 people per square mile, it ranks 189th in California. Within 50 miles sit 21 smaller Census places, alongside the 1 that are larger.
What California law requires in Merced
When California does not publish a figure, the row links to the source instead of inventing a number; Merced is bound by the same rules.
| Rule | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| State lending regulator | California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation (DFPI) Source says: "“Department” means the Department of Financial Protection and Innovation". | California Legislature — Financial Code § 23001 as of 2026-09-16 |
| 36% rate cap on mid-size consumer loans (AB 539) | Consumer loans of $2,500 to under $10,000: cap of 36% per annum simple interest plus the Federal Funds Rate Source says: "charges at a rate not exceeding an annual simple interest rate of 36 percent per annum plus the Federal Funds Rate". | California Legislature — Financial Code § 22304.5 as of 2026-09-16 |
| Maximum legal interest rate (usury cap) | 7% per annum default; written contracts may set up to 10% per annum for consumer-purpose loans Source says: "shall be 7 percent per annum"; "for use primarily for personal, family, or household purposes, at a rate not exceeding 10 percent per annum". | California Legislature — California Constitution, Article XV, § 1 as of 2026-09-16 |
What a Merced borrower is actually offered
In Merced, a mid-sized city of about 93,692, the amount is advanced up front and repaid in fixed installments; the city's size does not change the pricing. The rate you see advertised is a range, not a promise, until a lender reviews your file in Merced. Shortening the term on a Merced loan raises the monthly payment but cuts the interest; lengthening it does the reverse.
Merced: area, density and distance
Merced covers about 23.2 square miles of land (Census Gazetteer); no significant water area is recorded inside its boundaries. With 93,692 residents, the land area yields roughly 4,030 people per square mile. The largest place in California, Los Angeles, lies about 255 miles away. A 50-mile radius around Merced takes in 1 places that are larger. Within the same 50 miles lie 21 smaller Census places.
How lenders reach Merced
With about 4,030 residents per square mile, Merced is fairly dense, and 1 larger Census places sit within 50 miles. Whether Merced has a local branch or not, a California-licensed lender can serve its 93,692 people online on the same terms. For a larger market, the closest option is Modesto, CA about 37 miles away.
Common questions
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Nearby places
- Atwater, CA — population 32,052
- Livingston, CA — population 14,643
- Chowchilla, CA — population 19,328
- Dos Palos, CA — population 5,708
- Turlock, CA — population 72,100
- Waterford, CA — population 9,323
- Los Banos, CA — population 48,553
- Firebaugh, CA — population 8,547