Personal loans in St. Matthews, SC

In St. Matthews, one of 271 Census places in South Carolina, the figure to compare across lenders is the APR, not the advertised rate. Roughly 1,827 residents live in St. Matthews, the 123rd-largest community in South Carolina. From the 2020 Census base to the 2023 estimate, the population declined by about 1.0%. State law, not city hall, decides what a lender may do to St. Matthews's roughly 1,827 residents, and a state regulator supervises it. Get pre-qualified with several lenders, then compare APR rather than the headline rate for a St. Matthews loan. The next larger city is Orangeburg, SC about 13 miles away.

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

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St. Matthews: population, trend and location

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

Population: 1,827 residents; St. Matthews is the 123rd-largest of 271 places in South Carolina (US Census Bureau, Vintage 2023).
Population trend: The 2020-to-2023 change is negative, near 1.0%.
People gained or lost: about 18 fewer since the 2020 base.
Size percentile: about 55% of South Carolina's Census places are smaller than St. Matthews.
Density: the Census land area of 1.9 sq mi holds about 951 people per square mile.
Land area rank: St. Matthews's 1.9 square miles rank 164th of 271 places in South Carolina.
Within South Carolina: about 0.1% of the state's population lives in St. Matthews.
National rank: St. Matthews is the 7,956th most populous of the 19,457 Census places covered here.
Growth in South Carolina: St. Matthews stands 180th by percentage change from 2020 to 2023, among 271 places.
Against the state trend: St. Matthews's 1.0% change compares with a South Carolina average of +2.6% across its 271 places.
Density rank: St. Matthews is the 85th most densely settled place in South Carolina.
Against the state median: St. Matthews runs about 951 residents per square mile, where the South Carolina median is 584.
Location: 33.6646 / -80.7788, per the US Census Bureau Gazetteer.
Nearest larger cities: Orangeburg (13 mi); Pine Ridge (24 mi); Cayce (25 mi); South Congaree (27 mi); Columbia (27 mi). Living near a larger metro rarely changes what is available in St. Matthews.
Smaller communities close by: Cameron (8 mi); Elloree (15 mi); Eastover (16 mi), each with its own Census population profile.
Smaller neighbours: 52 places smaller than St. Matthews sit within 50 miles.
Larger places within 100 miles: 109.

St. Matthews: area, density and distance

Inside St. Matthews's boundaries lie about 1.9 square miles of land, with no significant water area recorded. Spread across it are roughly 951 residents per square mile. Charleston, the largest place in South Carolina, is about 74 miles from St. Matthews. A 50-mile radius around St. Matthews takes in 23 places that are larger. The 100-mile radius contains 109 larger places.

Where St. Matthews sits in South Carolina

Against South Carolina's other places, St. Matthews accounts for about 0.1% of the state's population and ranks 123rd of 271 by size. For population change between 2020 and 2023, St. Matthews ranks 180th of 271 in South Carolina (about the 34th percentile). By density, at about 951 people per square mile, it ranks 85th in South Carolina. In land area, St. Matthews ranks 164th among South Carolina's 271 places.

Which South Carolina laws govern a loan in St. Matthews

Every row below records a South Carolina rule, its publisher and its retrieval date — the same rules a St. Matthews lender must follow.

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
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

A pre-application checklist for St. Matthews

Before you hand your details to a lender in St. Matthews, where the population is near 1,827:

Get all three reports, dispute anything wrong, and keep the corrected file for your applications.
Test your amount and term in the personal loan calculator first.
Collect three or more offers and compare them on APR, not on the advertised rate.
Confirm the lender holds a South Carolina licence by checking the regulator named above.
Choose a term you can live with; stretching it lowers the payment but raises total interest.
Borrow only what the purpose requires, not the maximum you are offered.
Be clear on what the loan is for and how it gets repaid.

None of these steps is St. Matthews-specific: the same South Carolina licensing and disclosure rules reach all 1,827 residents.

What is available to St. Matthews borrowers

At roughly 951 people per square mile, St. Matthews is moderately settled; 23 larger places lie within 50 miles. Lenders licensed in South Carolina reach St. Matthews's 1,827 residents online, so the nearest branch is not what sets your APR. For a larger market, the closest option is Orangeburg, SC about 13 miles away.

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Common questions

What are my options in St. Matthews 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 St. Matthews is the same as anywhere in South Carolina.

What loan size can I expect in St. Matthews?

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 St. Matthews?

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 St. Matthews 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

Cameron, SC — population 371
Orangeburg, SC — population 13,280
Eastover, SC — population 621
Elloree, SC — population 550
Cordova, SC — population 133
Rowesville, SC — population 246
Pinewood, SC — population 499
North, SC — population 676