Cass Lake at a glance
- Population: 686, the 425th-largest community in Minnesota out of 853 (US Census Bureau, Vintage 2023).
- 2020 Census base: 679 people at the 2020 Census, the baseline for the trend below (US Census Bureau).
- 2020 to 2023 change: a gain of roughly 1.0% between the 2020 count and the 2023 estimate (US Census Bureau).
- Rank among Minnesota places: 425th out of 853 Census places (US Census Bureau).
- Size percentile: roughly 50% of Minnesota's places have fewer residents (US Census Bureau).
- Coordinates: mapped at 47.3797, -94.5994 by the US Census Bureau Gazetteer.
- Nearest larger cities: Bemidji, MN (15 mi); Walker, MN (20 mi); Blackduck, MN (24 mi); Deer River, MN (38 mi); Park Rapids, MN (39 mi) — straight-line distances, US Census Bureau populations.
- Nearest smaller communities: Laporte, MN (14 mi); Turtle River, MN (16 mi); Bena, MN (19 mi) (Census populations).
What a personal loan costs in Cass Lake
A personal loan is an installment loan: you receive a lump sum and repay it in fixed monthly payments over a set term, usually two to seven years.
APR is the figure that lets you compare like with like, since it wraps fees into the rate; run your own numbers with the personal loan calculator.
A longer repayment period spreads the cost and increases the interest paid, so compare total cost, not just the monthly figure.
A payment that strains the budget is a warning sign; a smaller loan or a little more saving time is the safer route.
Minnesota lending rules that apply in Cass Lake
Every figure in the table below is sourced to a publisher with a date; where a state does not publish a number, we say so rather than estimate.
| Rule | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Payday ability-to-repay requirement | Required for payday loans with an APR above 36% (Minn. Stat. § 47.603) Source says: "This section applies to all payday loans with an annual percentage rate that exceeds 36 percent." | Minnesota Legislature, Office of the Revisor of Statutes as of 2026-09-16 |
| Maximum legal interest rate (usury cap) | 6% per year legal rate of interest; a different rate may be contracted for in writing (Minn. Stat. § 334.01) Source says: "The interest for any legal indebtedness shall be at the rate of $6 upon $100 for a year" | Minnesota Legislature, Office of the Revisor of Statutes as of 2026-09-16 |
| Payday lending status | Legal and licensed; APR capped at 36%, or up to 50% with an ability-to-repay analysis (Minn. Stat. §§ 47.60, 47.601, 47.603) Source says: "The cap on that annual percentage rate is set at either 36%, or up to 50% if the lender conducts an ability to repay analysis" | Minnesota Department of Commerce as of 2026-09-16 |
| Small-loan / installment lender licensing | Regulated loan license required from the commissioner for loans within the Chapter 56 threshold (Minn. Stat. § 56.01) Source says: "without first obtaining a license from the commissioner, no person shall engage in the business of making loans of money" | Minnesota Legislature, Office of the Revisor of Statutes as of 2026-09-16 |
| State lending regulator | Minnesota Department of Commerce (commissioner of commerce) Source says: ""Commissioner" means the commissioner of commerce" | Minnesota Legislature, Office of the Revisor of Statutes as of 2026-09-16 |
How to compare offers in Cass Lake
Run through this list before signing anything in Cass Lake:
- 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 Minnesota using the regulator named above.
- Read the disclosure for origination fees and any prepayment penalty before you sign.