Kootenai at a glance
- Population: roughly 1,054 people; 85th of 197 places in Idaho (Census Vintage 2023 subcounty estimate).
- 2020 Census base: 946 people at the 2020 Census, the baseline for the trend below (US Census Bureau).
- 2020 to 2023 change: a gain of roughly 11.4% between the 2020 count and the 2023 estimate (US Census Bureau).
- Rank among Idaho places: 85th of 197 by population (US Census Bureau, Vintage 2023).
- Size percentile: about 57% of places in Idaho are smaller (US Census Bureau).
- Coordinates: 48.3118 / -116.5171, per the US Census Bureau Gazetteer.
- Nearest larger cities: Ponderay, ID (1 mi); Sandpoint, ID (3 mi); Dover, ID (6 mi); Priest River, ID (20 mi); Newport, WA (26 mi) (Census populations, approximate straight-line distance).
- Nearest smaller communities: Hope, ID (11 mi); East Hope, ID (12 mi); Clark Fork, ID (19 mi) (Census populations).
What a personal loan costs in Kootenai
A personal loan gives you the full amount at once and spreads repayment over a set number of months at a fixed payment.
The advertised interest rate leaves out fees that the APR captures, which is why APR is the number to weigh; try the personal loan calculator before you apply.
Your credit, income and existing debts drive the rate a lender offers, while the term you pick sets how much interest builds on top.
Shop with more than one lender and treat pre-qualification as an estimate, since the final terms follow a full application.
Idaho lending rules that apply in Kootenai
The table lists the Idaho rules that apply to a loan made in Kootenai, each with the regulator that published it.
| 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 Kootenai
Here is a short checklist for comparing personal loans in Kootenai:
- 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.