Bay City at a glance
- Population: 440 people, the 499th-largest place among Wisconsin's 605 Census places (US Census Bureau, Vintage 2023).
- 2020 Census base: 443 people (US Census Bureau, 2020 Census count).
- 2020 to 2023 change: a loss of about 0.7% since the 2020 count (US Census Bureau).
- Rank among Wisconsin places: the 499th-largest of 605 (US Census Bureau, 2023 estimate).
- Size percentile: roughly 18% of Wisconsin's places have fewer residents (US Census Bureau).
- Coordinates: mapped at 44.5893, -92.4535 by the US Census Bureau Gazetteer.
- Nearest larger cities: Red Wing, MN (7 mi); Ellsworth, WI (10 mi); Lake City, MN (13 mi); Plum City, WI (13 mi); Goodhue, MN (16 mi), each a US Census place with its estimated population.
- Smaller towns nearby: Maiden Rock, WI (7 mi); Stockholm, WI (11 mi); Bellechester, MN (15 mi) (US Census Bureau).
What a personal loan costs in Bay City
The defining feature of a personal loan is the fixed installment: the same payment every month until the term ends.
Because the APR includes origination and finance charges, it is the honest comparison number; the personal loan calculator turns an APR and term into a monthly payment.
A longer term reduces what you owe each month and increases the total interest, which is the trade-off to weigh before choosing one.
Shop with more than one lender and treat pre-qualification as an estimate, since the final terms follow a full application.
Wisconsin lending rules that apply in Bay City
The Wisconsin rate caps and licensing rules that reach Bay City are listed below, each with its source and retrieval date.
| Rule | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| State lending regulator | Wisconsin Department of Financial Institutions (DFI), Division of Banking Source says: "Department" means the department of financial institutions | Wisconsin State Legislature as of 2026-09-16 |
| Maximum legal interest rate (usury cap) | 12% per year maximum ($12 per $100) on the declining principal balance, except as authorized by other statutes (Wis. Stat. § 138.05(1)(a)) Source says: At the rate of $12 upon $100 for one year computed upon the declining principal balance of the loan or forbearance | Wisconsin State Legislature as of 2026-09-16 |
| Payday lending status | Legal and licensed by the DFI Division of Banking; statewide database tracking (Wis. Stat. § 138.14) Source says: "Licensee" means a person holding a license issued by the division under sub. (5) | Wisconsin State Legislature as of 2026-09-16 |
| Small-loan / installment lender licensing | Licensed lender license required from the Division of Banking (Wis. Stat. § 138.09) Source says: Before any person may do business under this section, that person shall first obtain a license from the division. | Wisconsin State Legislature as of 2026-09-16 |
How to compare offers in Bay City
The steps below are worth completing first when you borrow in Bay City:
- 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 Wisconsin using the regulator named above.
- Read the disclosure for origination fees and any prepayment penalty before you sign.