Clayton at a glance
- Population: roughly 17,461 people; 44th of 937 places in Missouri (Census Vintage 2023 subcounty estimate).
- 2020 Census base: the 2020 count put the population at 17,358 (US Census Bureau).
- 2020 to 2023 change: up roughly 0.6% across the 2020-to-2023 comparison (US Census Bureau).
- Rank among Missouri places: 44th of 937 by population (US Census Bureau, Vintage 2023).
- Size percentile: about 95% of Missouri's Census places are smaller (US Census Bureau).
- Coordinates: the Census Gazetteer places it at 38.6444, -90.3302.
- Nearest larger cities: University City, MO (1 mi); Webster Groves, MO (4 mi); St. Louis, MO (5 mi); Creve Coeur, MO (6 mi); Kirkwood, MO (7 mi) — straight-line distances, US Census Bureau populations.
- Nearest smaller communities: Richmond Heights, MO (1 mi); Brentwood, MO (2 mi); Maplewood, MO (2 mi) (Census populations).
What a personal loan costs in Clayton
A personal loan hands you a single sum and a repayment schedule of equal monthly installments over an agreed term.
Judge an offer by its APR, which blends the interest rate with fees, and use the personal loan calculator to see the total cost.
The offer you receive reflects the lender's read of your credit, income and debts, and the term controls the balance between payment size and total interest.
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.
Missouri lending rules that apply in Clayton
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 lending status | Legal and licensed — unsecured loans of $500 or less require a license from the Director of the Division of Finance (RSMo § 408.500) Source says: "in the business of making unsecured loans of five hundred dollars or less shall obtain a license from the director of the division of finance" | Missouri Revisor of Statutes as of 2026-09-16 |
| Small-loan / installment lender licensing | Consumer credit lenders licensed and regulated by the Division of Finance's consumer credit section (Chapters 367 and 408, RSMo) Source says: "The consumer credit section of the Missouri Division of Finance is responsible for licensing and regulating various types of consumer finance companies" | Missouri Division of Finance as of 2026-09-16 |
| State lending regulator | Missouri Division of Finance (Department of Commerce and Insurance) Source says: "We regulate state-chartered banks, trust companies, consumer credit facilities, mortgage brokers, and savings and loan institutions" | Missouri Division of Finance as of 2026-09-16 |
| Additional loan fee cap (30+ day loans) | Up to 10% of principal, capped at $100 (RSMo § 408.140) Source says: "a fee, not to exceed ten percent of the principal amount loaned not to exceed one hundred dollars may be charged by the lender" | Missouri Revisor of Statutes as of 2026-09-16 |
| Maximum legal interest rate (usury cap) | 10% per annum, or the higher published 'market rate' (RSMo § 408.030) Source says: "a rate of interest not exceeding ten percent per annum on money due or to become due upon any contract" | Missouri Revisor of Statutes as of 2026-09-16 |
How to compare offers in Clayton
A few practical steps will make the process in Clayton 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 Missouri using the regulator named above.
- Read the disclosure for origination fees and any prepayment penalty before you sign.