Clifton at a glance
- Population: 454 (US Census Bureau, Vintage 2023 subcounty estimate), the 135th-largest of 197 places in Idaho.
- 2020 Census base: 414 residents at the 2020 Census (US Census Bureau, 2020 count).
- 2020 to 2023 change: population rose about 9.7% (US Census Bureau Vintage 2023 estimate vs 2020 Census).
- Rank among Idaho places: 135th-largest of 197 (US Census Bureau, Vintage 2023 estimate).
- Size percentile: about 31% of Idaho's Census places are smaller (US Census Bureau).
- Coordinates: 42.1873, -112.0046 (Census Gazetteer, US Census Bureau).
- Nearest larger cities within 120 miles: Dayton, ID (5 mi); Preston, ID (9 mi); Weston, ID (11 mi); Malad City, ID (13 mi); Franklin, ID (16 mi) (US Census Bureau).
- Nearest smaller communities: Oxford, ID (5 mi); Cornish, UT (15 mi); Portage, UT (19 mi), each a US Census place.
What a personal loan costs in Clifton
A personal loan gives you the full amount at once and spreads repayment over a set number of months at a fixed payment.
Compare offers on APR rather than the headline rate — the APR includes most fees, and you can model the total with our personal loan calculator.
A longer term reduces what you owe each month and increases the total interest, which is the trade-off to weigh before choosing one.
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.
Idaho lending rules that apply in Clifton
Where a figure is not published by the state, the row points to the source instead of guessing.
| Rule | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Maximum legal interest rate (usury cap) | 12% per annum legal rate (when no written contract fixes a different rate) Source says: "interest is allowed at the rate of twelve cents (12¢) on the hundred by the year". | Idaho State Legislature as of 2026-09-16 |
| Payday lending status | Permitted under license (payday loan license required) Source says: "No person shall engage in the business of payday loans ... without having first obtained a license under this chapter". | Idaho State Legislature as of 2026-09-16 |
| Small-loan / installment lender licensing | Regulated Lenders License required (regulated consumer loans) Source says: "unless a person is exempt ... he shall not engage in the business of: (a) Making regulated consumer loans". | Idaho State Legislature as of 2026-09-16 |
| State lending regulator | Idaho Department of Finance (IDOF) Source says: "Safeguarding the financial health of Idahoans through the appropriate oversight of diverse financial institutions, the education and protection of consumers". | Idaho Department of Finance as of 2026-09-16 |
| Idaho Credit Code finance-charge rule | No statutory maximum finance-charge rate — rate as agreed by the parties (Idaho Credit Code) Source says: "the rate of finance charge shall be that which is agreed upon between the parties to the transaction". | Idaho State Legislature as of 2026-09-16 |
How to compare offers in Clifton
The steps below are worth completing first when you borrow in Clifton:
- 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 Idaho using the regulator named above.
- Read the disclosure for origination fees and any prepayment penalty before you sign.