Barnum at a glance
- Population: 178 residents, the 693rd-largest of 940 places in Iowa (US Census Bureau, Vintage 2023).
- 2020 Census base: the 2020 count put the population at 176 (US Census Bureau).
- 2020 to 2023 change: up about 1.1% from the 2020 Census base to the 2023 estimate (US Census Bureau).
- Rank among Iowa places: 693rd out of 940 Census places (US Census Bureau).
- Size percentile: it is larger than about 26% of the places in Iowa (US Census Bureau).
- Coordinates: it sits at 42.5062, -94.3657 in the US Census Bureau Gazetteer.
- Nearest larger cities (within 120 miles): Manson, IA (9 mi); Fort Dodge, IA (10 mi); Callender, IA (11 mi); Otho, IA (12 mi); Badger, IA (13 mi) (US Census Bureau populations).
- Smaller places close by: Clare, IA (6 mi); Moorland, IA (6 mi); Knierim, IA (6 mi) (US Census Bureau).
What a personal loan costs in Barnum
A personal loan is structured as an installment plan, with a set number of monthly payments and a fixed amount due each time.
The number to compare is the APR, not the interest rate, because the APR folds in origination fees and other charges; our personal loan calculator will show what a given amount and term would cost.
The term is the lever: extend it and the payment falls while total interest climbs; shorten it and the reverse happens.
If you are consolidating debt, the loan only helps if you stop adding to the balances it clears; otherwise the total debt grows.
Iowa lending rules that apply in Barnum
Each row below is a Iowa rule with its publisher and the date it was retrieved.
| Rule | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| State lending regulator | Iowa Division of Banking (IDOB), Iowa Department of Insurance and Financial Services Source says: "As part of the 2023 state government realignment, the IDOB became part of a new Department of Insurance and Financial Services". | Iowa Division of Banking as of 2026-09-16 |
| Delayed deposit fee cap | Fee cap: $15 on first $100 of check face amount; $10 on subsequent $100 increments Source says: "fifteen dollars on the first one hundred dollars ... or more than ten dollars on subsequent one hundred dollar increments". | Iowa Legislature (Iowa Code) as of 2026-09-16 |
| Maximum legal interest rate (usury cap) | 2 percentage points above the monthly average 10-year U.S. Treasury constant maturity rate (written agreements) Source says: "The maximum lawful rate of interest ... in any written agreement ... shall be two percentage points above the monthly average ten-year constant maturity interest rate". | Iowa Legislature (Iowa Code) as of 2026-09-16 |
| Payday lending status | Permitted under license (delayed deposit services; must be physically located in Iowa) Source says: "A person shall not operate a delayed deposit services business in this state unless the person is physically located in this state and licensed by the superintendent". | Iowa Legislature (Iowa Code) as of 2026-09-16 |
| Small-loan / installment lender licensing | Regulated Loan Act license required (superintendent of banking) Source says: "shall not engage in the business of making loans ... without first obtaining a license from the superintendent of banking". | Iowa Legislature (Iowa Code) as of 2026-09-16 |
How to compare offers in Barnum
The steps below are worth completing first when you borrow in Barnum:
- Pull your free credit reports and dispute any error — it is the cheapest way to improve the rate you are offered.
- Run your figures through the personal loan calculator on this site so you know the payment before a lender quotes one.
- Pre-qualify with at least three lenders and compare the APR, not the interest rate.
- Check that the lender is licensed in Iowa using the regulator named above.
- Read the disclosure for origination fees and any prepayment penalty before you sign.