Personal loans in Tatum, SC

Tatum lost roughly 4.1% of its population across the 2020-to-2023 comparison. A personal loan in Tatum is priced from your credit file and income, not from the fact that the city holds 71 people.

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

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At about 71 residents, Tatum is larger than roughly 2% of the places in South Carolina. For a bigger market, look to McColl, SC about 3 miles away. Which products a lender may offer to Tatum's 71 residents follows from the South Carolina consumer-lending framework. Work out your debt-to-income ratio first; lenders weigh it heavily, and Tatum's 71 residents are no exception.

Tatum by the numbers

Set out below is Tatum's local context next to the state-level rules that reach every lender here.

Population: a Census-estimated 71, 265th among South Carolina's 271 places (Vintage 2023).
Population trend: About 4.1% below the 2020 Census base.
People gained or lost: about 3 fewer since the 2020 base.
Size percentile: roughly 2% of South Carolina's places have fewer residents than Tatum's 71.
Density: the Census land area of 0.9 sq mi holds about 78 people per square mile.
Land area rank: Tatum's 0.9 square miles rank 229th of 271 places in South Carolina.
State share: roughly 0.0% of South Carolina's residents live in Tatum (71 people).
National rank: Tatum is 18,640th of 19,457 places nationwide.
Growth rank: Tatum ranks 258th among South Carolina's 271 places for the 2020-to-2023 change.
Against the state trend: Tatum's 4.1% change compares with a South Carolina average of +2.6% across its 271 places.
Density in South Carolina: Tatum ranks 259th by people per square mile.
Against the state median: Tatum runs about 78 residents per square mile, where the South Carolina median is 584.
Location: 34.6438, -79.5867 (US Census Bureau Gazetteer).
Nearest larger cities: McColl (3 mi); Clio (5 mi); Bennettsville (6 mi); Gibson (8 mi); Blenheim (10 mi). Living near a larger metro rarely changes what is available in Tatum.
Nearest smaller towns: Raynham (23 mi); Orrum (35 mi); Jenkinsville (100 mi) — useful context for the surrounding area.
Smaller neighbours: 2 places smaller than Tatum sit within 50 miles.
Larger places within 100 miles: 309.

How a Tatum personal loan is priced

Most loans made to Tatum's 71 residents are unsecured, so nothing is pledged and the lender relies on your credit history. Two numbers drive a Tatum loan: the APR, which includes fees, and the term, which decides how long you keep paying. The term you choose in Tatum decides the split between a comfortable payment and the total interest you pay.

Tatum's place among South Carolina's 271 places

Against South Carolina's other places, Tatum accounts for about 0.0% of the state's population and ranks 265th of 271 by size. On the 2020-to-2023 trend, Tatum stands 258th among South Carolina's 271 places — roughly the 5th percentile. Its roughly 78 residents per square mile place it 259th among South Carolina's places. Between 2020 and 2023 the count changed by roughly 3 residents.

Borrowing reach in Tatum

Tatum is sparsely settled, with about 78 people per square mile and 82 larger places within 50 miles. Distance to a branch rarely matters for Tatum's 71 residents: the application is online and the price follows your credit file. For a larger market, the closest option is McColl, SC about 3 miles away.

A practical checklist for Tatum borrowers

Before you hand your details to a lender in Tatum, where the population is near 71:

Get your credit reports, dispute what is wrong, and only then start shopping.
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.
Make sure the lender appears in the South Carolina regulator's licence list.
Keep the amount to the expense; an approval is not a reason to take more.
Decide the purpose and how you will repay it before approaching any lender.
If the balances are already a strain, seek nonprofit credit counselling before adding a loan.

None of these steps is Tatum-specific: the same South Carolina licensing and disclosure rules reach all 71 residents.

The South Carolina lending rules that reach Tatum

For the roughly 71 residents of Tatum, the rules below are South Carolina's own; each row carries its publisher and retrieval date.

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

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Common questions

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

What loan size can I expect in Tatum?

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 Tatum?

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 Tatum 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

McColl, SC — population 1,993
Clio, SC — population 582
Bennettsville, SC — population 6,540
Gibson, NC — population 445
Blenheim, SC — population 110
Laurinburg, NC — population 15,021
Maxton, NC — population 2,114
Hamlet, NC — population 5,928