Emporia at a glance
- Population: about 24,105 residents, ranking 18th of 625 Census places in Kansas (US Census Bureau, Vintage 2023 subcounty estimate).
- 2020 Census base: 24,138 people at the 2020 Census, the baseline for the trend below (US Census Bureau).
- 2020 to 2023 change: down roughly 0.1% across the 2020-to-2023 comparison (US Census Bureau).
- Rank among Kansas places: 18th in population of 625 places (US Census Bureau).
- Size percentile: it exceeds roughly 97% of Kansas's Census places by population (US Census Bureau).
- Coordinates: 38.4019 latitude, -96.1917 longitude (US Census Bureau Gazetteer).
- Nearest larger cities (120-mile radius): Topeka, KS (51 mi); Manhattan, KS (59 mi); Lawrence, KS (63 mi); Gardner, KS (74 mi); Wichita, KS (80 mi) (US Census Bureau).
- Nearest smaller communities: Americus, KS (8 mi); Olpe, KS (10 mi); Neosho Rapids, KS (11 mi), each a US Census place.
What a personal loan costs in Emporia
A personal loan hands you a single sum and a repayment schedule of equal monthly installments over an agreed term.
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.
Your credit, income and existing debts drive the rate a lender offers, while the term you pick sets how much interest builds on top.
Work out the payment you can comfortably carry each month first, then borrow no more than that figure supports.
Kansas lending rules that apply in Emporia
The table carries the Kansas rate and licensing rules that apply to consumer loans made in Emporia.
| Rule | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Small-loan / installment lender licensing | Supervised lender license required (supervised loans) Source says: "Unless a person is exempt from licensing ... such person shall not engage in the business of: (a) Making supervised loans". | Kansas Office of the Revisor of Statutes as of 2026-09-16 |
| State lending regulator | Kansas Office of the State Bank Commissioner (OSBC) Source says: "The Office of the State Bank Commissioner regulates all state-chartered banks, trust companies, mortgage businesses, supervised lenders, credit service organizations, earned wage access service providers, and money transmitters". | Kansas Office of the State Bank Commissioner as of 2026-09-16 |
| UCCC consumer loan rate caps | 36% on first $860 of unpaid balance; 21% above $860 (closed-end consumer loans) Source says: "36% on the unpaid principal balance which is $860 or less, and 21% on the unpaid principal balance which exceeds $860". | Kansas Office of the State Bank Commissioner as of 2026-09-16 |
| Maximum legal interest rate (usury cap) | 15% per annum (general contract-rate ceiling for written instruments) Source says: "may stipulate therein for interest receivable ... at a rate not to exceed 15% per annum unless otherwise specifically authorized by law". | Kansas Office of the Revisor of Statutes as of 2026-09-16 |
| Payday lending status | Permitted under license (payday cash advances of $500 or less; charge capped at 15%) Source says: "a licensed or supervised lender may charge an amount not to exceed 15% of the amount of the cash advance". | Kansas Office of the Revisor of Statutes as of 2026-09-16 |
How to compare offers in Emporia
Before you commit to a personal loan in Emporia, work through these steps:
- 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 Kansas using the regulator named above.
- Read the disclosure for origination fees and any prepayment penalty before you sign.