Personal loans in Bay St. Louis, MS
Personal loans in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi work the same way they do across the state: you apply, a lender reviews your credit and income, and it prices the loan to the risk it sees. Bay St. Louis has about 10,511 residents and ranks 40th in Mississippi by population. Its population grew about 13.2% between the 2020 Census base and the 2023 estimate. The closest larger city is Long Beach, MS about 12 miles away.
What is specific to borrowing in Bay St. Louis
- Population: 10,511 (US Census Bureau, Vintage 2023 subcounty estimate) — the 40th-largest place of 299 in Mississippi.
- Population trend: Its population grew about 13.2% between the 2020 Census base and the 2023 estimate.
- Size percentile: larger than about 87% of the Census places in Mississippi.
- Location: 30.3234, -89.3588 (US Census Bureau Gazetteer).
- Nearest larger cities: Long Beach (12 mi); Gulfport (19 mi); Picayune (23 mi); Slidell (25 mi); Biloxi (26 mi). Larger metros often have more walk-in branches, but online lenders serve Bay St. Louis on the same terms.
- Nearest smaller towns: Waveland (3 mi); Diamondhead (4 mi); Pass Christian (7 mi).
Mississippi lending rules that apply in Bay St. Louis
| Rule | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Maximum legal interest rate (usury cap) | See the latest published figure value_text left null: the maximum finance charge for licensed small-loan lenders is set by Miss. Code § 75-17-21, which § 75-67-119 references as the limit; no retrievable official page published the current figure for direct verification. | Mississippi Department of Banking and Consumer Finance as of 2026-09-16 |
| Payday lending status | Legal and licensed — check cashers (delayed-deposit/payday transactions) are licensed consumer-finance industries regulated by DBCF (Miss. Code § 75-67-501 et seq.) Source says: "These industries include Money Transmitter, Small Loan, Check Cashers, Pawnbroker, Title Pledge, Consumer Loan Broker" | Mississippi Department of Banking and Consumer Finance as of 2026-09-16 |
| Small-loan / installment lender licensing | Small loan license required (Small Loan Regulatory Law; Miss. Code § 75-67-105) Source says: "No person shall engage in the business of lending money ... without being the holder of a valid and subsisting license" | Mississippi Department of Banking and Consumer Finance as of 2026-09-16 |
| State lending regulator | Mississippi Department of Banking and Consumer Finance (DBCF) Source says: "The Mississippi Department of Banking and Consumer Finance's (DBCF) mission is to regulate, supervise and safeguard financial institutions chartered and licensed in Mississippi" | Mississippi Department of Banking and Consumer Finance as of 2026-09-16 |
| Delayed-deposit (payday) fee caps | $20 per $100 advanced on checks ≤$250; $21.95 per $100 on checks over $250 (DBCF rule) Source says: "Delayed deposit transaction: $20.00 per $100.00 advanced for checks $250.00 and under" | Mississippi Secretary of State (DBCF administrative regulations) as of 2026-09-16 |
How a personal loan works in Bay St. Louis
In Bay St. Louis, as across Mississippi, the lender must disclose the loan's APR and finance charge before you sign, under the federal Truth in Lending Act. Use that disclosure: compare the APR, not the interest rate alone, because origination fees, and sometimes prepayment penalties, are folded into the APR. If a lender will not put the terms in writing, that is a reason to walk away.
Before you apply in Bay St. Louis
- Pull your free credit reports and dispute any error — it is the cheapest way to improve the rate you are offered.
- Run the numbers with our personal loan calculator so you know the payment before a lender tells you.
- Pre-qualify with at least three lenders and compare the APR, not the interest rate.
- Check the lender is licensed in Mississippi using the regulator listed above.
- Read the disclosure for origination fees and any prepayment penalty before you sign.
Advertising disclosure: Loansloth may receive a referral fee if you apply through the link above. That fee does not change the rate you are offered, and it does not change our content. We are not a lender. Read the full disclosure.
Frequently asked questions
Can I get a personal loan with bad credit in Bay St. Louis?
Yes, but expect a higher APR and possibly a smaller amount. Lenders that serve borrowers with lower scores are licensed statewide, so your options in Bay St. Louis are the same as elsewhere in Mississippi.
How much can I borrow with a personal loan in Bay St. Louis?
Most personal loans range from about $1,000 to $50,000, but the amount you are approved for depends on the lender and your income and credit. Use our personal loan calculator to model the payment before you apply.
Does a personal loan in Bay St. Louis require collateral?
Unsecured personal loans do not require collateral. A secured loan, such as a home-equity or auto-secured loan, does — and it puts the pledged asset at risk if you default.
Will shopping for a loan in Bay St. Louis hurt my credit?
Pre-qualification usually uses a soft credit pull that does not affect your score. A full application triggers a hard inquiry, which may lower your score by a few points temporarily.
Nearby places
- Waveland, MS — population 6,990
- Diamondhead, MS — population 9,236
- Pass Christian, MS — population 6,255
- Long Beach, MS — population 16,991
- Gulfport, MS — population 72,823
- Picayune, MS — population 11,862
- Pearl River, LA — population 2,648
- Slidell, LA — population 28,510