Personal loans in Union, SC

In Union, one of 271 Census places in South Carolina, the figure to compare across lenders is the APR, not the advertised rate. The trend for Union between 2020 and 2023 is downward by roughly 3.5%.

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

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About 7,881 people live in Union, placing it 50th of 271 Census places in South Carolina. If debt is already a strain, a nonprofit credit counsellor can help Union residents before they take on more. Which products a lender may offer to Union's 7,881 residents follows from the South Carolina consumer-lending framework. The nearest larger city is Spartanburg, SC about 23 miles away.

Local context for Union

The figures below are Union's own — Census population, land area and coordinates — followed by the South Carolina rules.

Population: 7,881 residents; Union is the 50th-largest of 271 places in South Carolina (US Census Bureau, Vintage 2023).
Population trend: The 2020-to-2023 change is negative, near 3.5%.
People gained or lost: about 289 fewer since the 2020 base.
Size percentile: about 82% of South Carolina communities are smaller than Union (7,881 residents).
Population density: about 965 people per square mile across 8.2 square miles of land (Census Gazetteer area, Vintage 2023 population).
By land area: Union ranks 56th among South Carolina's 271 places, at 8.2 sq mi.
Within South Carolina: about 0.4% of the state's population lives in Union.
Nationally: Union is the 3,713th-largest of 19,457 Census places in the dataset.
Growth in South Carolina: Union stands 251st by percentage change from 2020 to 2023, among 271 places.
State comparison: South Carolina's places average +2.6% for 2020-to-2023, against Union's 3.5%.
Density rank: Union places 81st among South Carolina's places by people per square mile.
Against the state median: Union runs about 965 residents per square mile, where the South Carolina median is 584.
Location: coordinates 34.7238, -81.6249 (US Census Bureau Gazetteer).
Nearest larger cities: Spartanburg (23 mi); Gaffney (24 mi); Laurens (27 mi); York (29 mi); Newberry (31 mi). Living near a larger metro rarely changes what is available in Union.
Smaller communities within reach: Jonesville (8 mi); Lockhart (10 mi); Carlisle (13 mi).
Smaller places within 50 miles: 76 of them.
At 100 miles: 70 larger Census places fall inside that radius.

What shapes a Union personal loan

A Union personal loan is an installment loan: a lump sum, then fixed monthly payments over a set term, priced off your credit rather than its 7,881 residents. Federal Truth in Lending rules require a Union lender to disclose the APR and finance charge before you sign. Shortening the term on a Union loan raises the monthly payment but cuts the interest; lengthening it does the reverse.

Getting a loan in Union

At roughly 965 people per square mile, Union is moderately settled; 22 larger places lie within 50 miles. A South Carolina licence lets a lender serve Union without a local office, so branch density does not change what its 7,881 residents are offered. For a larger market, the closest option is Spartanburg, SC about 23 miles away.

The state rulebook for Union

Read the table as a lender's compliance picture for Union: the rule, the sourced figure, the publisher and the 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
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
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

Where Union sits in South Carolina

Among South Carolina's 271 places, Union sits at 50th for population, a share of roughly 0.4% of the state. On the 2020-to-2023 trend, Union stands 251st among South Carolina's 271 places — roughly the 7th percentile. By density, at about 965 people per square mile, it ranks 81st in South Carolina. Within 50 miles sit 76 smaller Census places, alongside the 22 that are larger.

What to do before borrowing in Union

Complete these steps first when you borrow in Union (7,881 residents):

Get all three reports, dispute anything wrong, and keep the corrected file for your applications.
Model the payment on the calculator before a lender models it for you.
Get several pre-qualifications and compare APR side by side before choosing.
Confirm the lender holds a South Carolina licence by checking the regulator named above.
If the balances are already a strain, seek nonprofit credit counselling before adding a loan.
Read the disclosure for an origination fee and any prepayment penalty before signing.
Make sure the new payment leaves room in a budget you already keep.

The process is identical across South Carolina; what changes is your credit file, not the fact that Union holds 7,881 people.

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Common questions

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

What loan size can I expect in Union?

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 Union?

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 Union 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

Jonesville, SC — population 821
Lockhart, SC — population 370
Carlisle, SC — population 315
Whitmire, SC — population 1,424
Central Pacolet, SC — population 228
Pacolet, SC — population 2,477
Hickory Grove, SC — population 462
Clinton, SC — population 7,714