Chelsea at a glance
- Population: about 220 residents, ranking 641st of 940 Census places in Iowa (US Census Bureau, Vintage 2023 subcounty estimate).
- 2020 Census base: 227 people counted in the 2020 Census (US Census Bureau).
- 2020 to 2023 change: down about 3.1% from the 2020 Census base to the 2023 estimate (US Census Bureau).
- Rank among Iowa places: 641st by size among 940 communities (US Census Bureau).
- Size percentile: larger than about 32% of the Census places in Iowa (US Census Bureau).
- Coordinates: it sits at 41.9205, -92.3944 in the US Census Bureau Gazetteer.
- Nearest larger cities: Belle Plaine, IA (6 mi); Tama, IA (10 mi); Toledo, IA (11 mi); Keystone, IA (11 mi); Brooklyn, IA (13 mi); US Census Bureau population estimates.
- Smaller places close by: Vining, IA (5 mi); Elberon, IA (7 mi); Hartwick, IA (10 mi) (US Census Bureau).
What a personal loan costs in Chelsea
With an installment loan the payment is fixed for the life of the loan, so the schedule is predictable from the first month to the last.
Compare every quote on APR because it includes the fees the interest rate hides, and check the payment with our personal loan calculator.
A lender weighs your credit profile, income and debts when setting the rate, and a longer term lowers the payment at the cost of more interest overall.
A useful rule is to keep the new payment inside the room your budget already has, so the loan eases pressure instead of adding to it.
Iowa lending rules that apply in Chelsea
Each row below is a Iowa rule with its publisher and the date it was retrieved.
| Rule | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| 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 |
How to compare offers in Chelsea
A few practical steps will make the process in Chelsea less costly:
- 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.