Personal loans in St. Stephen, SC

The 2020 count to the 2023 estimate shows about 0.1% growth in St. Stephen. St. Stephen is home to roughly 1,573 people and stands 133rd by size out of 271 Census places in South Carolina. If you are weighing a personal loan in St.

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

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Stephen, start from the payment you can carry; its 1,573 residents face the same statewide rules. Judge St. Stephen offers on total cost, not on how quickly the money arrives. Every figure below is South Carolina's own, applied to St. Stephen's 1,573 residents, with the publisher and retrieval date attached. A larger market lies at Moncks Corner, SC about 14 miles away.

The St. Stephen data picture

Two layers matter for a St. Stephen borrower: the local population picture and South Carolina's consumer-lending statutes.

Population: 1,573 — St. Stephen ranks 133rd of 271 communities in South Carolina (US Census Bureau, Vintage 2023).
Population trend: About 0.1% above the 2020 Census base.
Net change: roughly 2 more people than the 2020 Census counted.
Size percentile: bigger than about 51% of the places in South Carolina, with 1,573 residents in St. Stephen.
Population density: about 588 people per square mile (Census land area 2.7 sq mi).
Land area rank: St. Stephen's 2.7 square miles rank 144th of 271 places in South Carolina.
Share of South Carolina: St. Stephen holds about 0.1% of the state's population, some 1,573 people.
National rank: St. Stephen sits 8,526th by population among the 19,457 places in this dataset.
Growth in South Carolina: St. Stephen stands 151st by percentage change from 2020 to 2023, among 271 places.
State comparison: South Carolina's places average +2.6% for 2020-to-2023, against St. Stephen's 0.1%.
Density rank: St. Stephen places 135th among South Carolina's places by people per square mile.
Against the state median: St. Stephen runs about 588 residents per square mile, where the South Carolina median is 584.
Location: the Census Gazetteer records it at 33.4026, -79.9252.
Nearest larger cities: Moncks Corner (14 mi); Kingstree (19 mi); Andrews (21 mi); Manning (26 mi); Goose Creek (29 mi). Larger metros often have more branches, but online lenders reach St. Stephen on the same terms.
Smaller towns nearby: Bonneau (6 mi); Lane (9 mi); Greeleyville (13 mi).
Smaller places within 50 miles: 31 of them.
Within 100 miles: 85 places are larger than St. Stephen.

South Carolina consumer-lending rules applied in St. Stephen

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

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

What is available to St. Stephen borrowers

At roughly 588 people per square mile, St. Stephen is moderately settled; 20 larger places lie within 50 miles. Lenders licensed in South Carolina reach St. Stephen's 1,573 residents online, so the nearest branch is not what sets your APR. For a larger market, the closest option is Moncks Corner, SC about 14 miles away.

The St. Stephen borrowing checklist

Complete these steps first when you borrow in St. Stephen (1,573 residents):

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.
Get several pre-qualifications and compare APR side by side before choosing.
Check the South Carolina regulator's records to confirm the lender is licensed here.
Weigh a shorter term's higher payment against the interest it saves.
Do not borrow more than the expense calls for, even if a lender approves a larger amount.
Decide the purpose and how you will repay it before approaching any lender.

None of these steps is St. Stephen-specific: the same South Carolina licensing and disclosure rules reach all 1,573 residents.

Land, water and location for St. Stephen

Inside St. Stephen's boundaries lie about 2.7 square miles of land, with no significant water area recorded. With 1,573 residents, the land area yields roughly 588 people per square mile. Charleston, the largest place in South Carolina, is about 40 miles from St. Stephen. Counting outward 50 miles, 20 larger communities surround St. Stephen. Within the same 50 miles lie 31 smaller Census places.

St. Stephen against the rest of South Carolina

St. Stephen is the 133rd-largest of 271 Census places in South Carolina and contains about 0.1% of the state's people. Its 2020-to-2023 change ranks 151st of 271 South Carolina places, putting it near the 44th percentile for growth. At about 588 people per square mile, St. Stephen is the 135th most densely settled place in South Carolina. Between 2020 and 2023 the count changed by roughly 2 residents.

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Common questions

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

What loan size can I expect in St. Stephen?

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. Stephen?

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. Stephen 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

Bonneau, SC — population 434
Lane, SC — population 454
Greeleyville, SC — population 364
Moncks Corner, SC — population 16,621
Jamestown, SC — population 71
Kingstree, SC — population 3,072
Andrews, SC — population 2,546
Manning, SC — population 3,802