Hiawatha at a glance
- Population: roughly 3,190 people; 87th of 625 places in Kansas (Census Vintage 2023 subcounty estimate).
- 2020 Census base: 3,274 people at the 2020 Census, the baseline for the trend below (US Census Bureau).
- 2020 to 2023 change: population fell about 2.6% (US Census Bureau Vintage 2023 estimate vs 2020 Census).
- Rank among Kansas places: 87th in population of 625 places (US Census Bureau).
- Size percentile: ahead of around 86% of Kansas places in population terms (US Census Bureau).
- Coordinates: latitude 39.8517, longitude -95.5378 (US Census Bureau Gazetteer).
- Nearest larger cities (120-mile radius): Falls City, NE (15 mi); Holton, KS (28 mi); Atchison, KS (29 mi); Savannah, MO (38 mi); St. Joseph, MO (39 mi) (US Census Bureau).
- Nearest smaller communities: Hamlin, KS (6 mi); Robinson, KS (7 mi); Powhattan, KS (8 mi), each a US Census place.
What a personal loan costs in Hiawatha
Personal loans are installment credit — one lump sum, repaid in equal monthly installments across a fixed term you agree to up front.
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.
Stretching the term lowers the monthly payment but raises the total interest you pay, so the smallest payment is not automatically the cheapest loan.
Shop with more than one lender and treat pre-qualification as an estimate, since the final terms follow a full application.
Kansas lending rules that apply in Hiawatha
Where a figure is not published by the state, the row points to the source instead of guessing.
| 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 Hiawatha
The order below is a sensible way to approach a loan in Hiawatha:
- 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.