Montezuma at a glance
- Population: 1,432 (US Census Bureau, Vintage 2023 subcounty estimate), the 215th-largest of 940 places in Iowa.
- 2020 Census base: 1,447 people (US Census Bureau, 2020 Census count).
- 2020 to 2023 change: down roughly 1.0% across the 2020-to-2023 comparison (US Census Bureau).
- Rank among Iowa places: 215th by size among 940 communities (US Census Bureau).
- Size percentile: about 77% of Iowa's Census places are smaller (US Census Bureau).
- Coordinates: the Census Gazetteer places it at 41.5830, -92.5278.
- Nearest larger cities (within 120 miles): Brooklyn, IA (11 mi); Grinnell, IA (15 mi); Oskaloosa, IA (21 mi); Pella, IA (24 mi); Sigourney, IA (24 mi) (US Census Bureau populations).
- Nearest smaller places: Barnes City, IA (6 mi); Deep River, IA (8 mi); Malcom, IA (9 mi) (US Census Bureau estimates).
What a personal loan costs in Montezuma
The defining feature of a personal loan is the fixed installment: the same payment every month until the term ends.
Because the APR includes origination and finance charges, it is the honest comparison number; the personal loan calculator turns an APR and term into a monthly payment.
The term is the lever: extend it and the payment falls while total interest climbs; shorten it and the reverse happens.
Set the loan amount from the expense itself rather than the maximum you are approved for, and keep the payment within your existing budget.
Iowa lending rules that apply in Montezuma
Every figure in the table below is sourced to a publisher with a date; where a state does not publish a number, we say so rather than estimate.
| Rule | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Payday lending status | Permitted under license (delayed deposit services; must be physically located in Iowa) Source says: "A person shall not operate a delayed deposit services business in this state unless the person is physically located in this state and licensed by the superintendent". | Iowa Legislature (Iowa Code) as of 2026-09-16 |
| Small-loan / installment lender licensing | Regulated Loan Act license required (superintendent of banking) Source says: "shall not engage in the business of making loans ... without first obtaining a license from the superintendent of banking". | Iowa Legislature (Iowa Code) as of 2026-09-16 |
| State lending regulator | Iowa Division of Banking (IDOB), Iowa Department of Insurance and Financial Services Source says: "As part of the 2023 state government realignment, the IDOB became part of a new Department of Insurance and Financial Services". | Iowa Division of Banking as of 2026-09-16 |
| Delayed deposit fee cap | Fee cap: $15 on first $100 of check face amount; $10 on subsequent $100 increments Source says: "fifteen dollars on the first one hundred dollars ... or more than ten dollars on subsequent one hundred dollar increments". | Iowa Legislature (Iowa Code) as of 2026-09-16 |
| Maximum legal interest rate (usury cap) | 2 percentage points above the monthly average 10-year U.S. Treasury constant maturity rate (written agreements) Source says: "The maximum lawful rate of interest ... in any written agreement ... shall be two percentage points above the monthly average ten-year constant maturity interest rate". | Iowa Legislature (Iowa Code) as of 2026-09-16 |
How to compare offers in Montezuma
Before you commit to a personal loan in Montezuma, 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 Iowa using the regulator named above.
- Read the disclosure for origination fees and any prepayment penalty before you sign.