Iola at a glance
- Population: 5,318 people, the 62nd-largest place among Kansas's 625 Census places (US Census Bureau, Vintage 2023).
- 2020 Census base: the 2020 Census recorded 5,396 residents here (US Census Bureau).
- 2020 to 2023 change: about 1.4% lower than the 2020 Census base (US Census Bureau).
- Rank among Kansas places: 62nd of the state's 625 Census places (US Census Bureau).
- Size percentile: it is larger than about 90% of the places in Kansas (US Census Bureau).
- Coordinates: 37.9274, -95.4007 (Census Gazetteer, US Census Bureau).
- Nearest larger cities: Chanute, KS (18 mi); Fort Scott, KS (39 mi); Parsons, KS (42 mi); Ottawa, KS (47 mi); Independence, KS (51 mi) (Census populations, approximate straight-line distance).
- Nearest smaller places: Bassett, KS (1 mi); Gas, KS (3 mi); La Harpe, KS (5 mi) (US Census Bureau estimates).
What a personal loan costs in Iola
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 offers on APR rather than the headline rate — the APR includes most fees, and you can model the total with our personal loan calculator.
Lenders weigh your credit history, income and debts when they set the rate, and the term you choose then determines how that rate compounds into total cost.
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.
Kansas lending rules that apply in Iola
The table carries the Kansas rate and licensing rules that apply to consumer loans made in Iola.
| 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 Iola
The steps below are worth completing first when you borrow in Iola:
- 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.