Merriam at a glance
- Population: 10,875 residents, the 34th-largest of 625 places in Kansas (US Census Bureau, Vintage 2023).
- 2020 Census base: 11,110 people at the 2020 Census, the baseline for the trend below (US Census Bureau).
- 2020 to 2023 change: about 2.1% lower than the 2020 Census base (US Census Bureau).
- Rank among Kansas places: 34th in population of 625 places (US Census Bureau).
- Size percentile: it is larger than about 95% of the places in Kansas (US Census Bureau).
- Coordinates: 39.0176, -94.6940 (US Census Bureau Gazetteer).
- Nearest larger cities: Prairie Village, KS (4 mi); Shawnee, KS (6 mi); Lenexa, KS (7 mi); Kansas City, KS (8 mi); Leawood, KS (8 mi) (Census populations, approximate straight-line distance).
- Smaller places close by: Mission, KS (2 mi); Roeland Park, KS (3 mi); Fairway, KS (4 mi) (US Census Bureau).
What a personal loan costs in Merriam
A personal loan is an installment loan: you receive a lump sum and repay it in fixed monthly payments over a set term, usually two to seven years.
Compare every quote on APR because it includes the fees the interest rate hides, and check the payment 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.
Set the loan amount from the expense itself rather than the maximum you are approved for, and keep the payment within your existing budget.
Kansas lending rules that apply in Merriam
Read the table as the compliance picture for a lender serving Merriam: label, sourced figure, publisher and date.
| 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 Merriam
The order below is a sensible way to approach a loan in Merriam:
- 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.