Stafford at a glance
- Population: 925 — 205th in Kansas, which has 625 Census places (US Census Bureau, Vintage 2023).
- 2020 Census base: the 2020 count put the population at 961 (US Census Bureau).
- 2020 to 2023 change: down about 3.7% from the 2020 Census base to the 2023 estimate (US Census Bureau).
- Rank among Kansas places: 205th largest of 625 (US Census Bureau).
- Size percentile: roughly 67% of places in Kansas rank below it by population (US Census Bureau).
- Coordinates: it sits at 37.9624, -98.5993 in the US Census Bureau Gazetteer.
- Nearest larger cities: St. John, KS (9 mi); Pratt, KS (20 mi); Ellinwood, KS (27 mi); Sterling, KS (27 mi); Great Bend, KS (30 mi); US Census Bureau population estimates.
- Nearest smaller towns: Sylvia, KS (10 mi); Hudson, KS (10 mi); Turon, KS (14 mi) (US Census Bureau).
What a personal loan costs in Stafford
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.
The APR is the comparable price of a loan since it folds in fees; model any offer with the personal loan calculator first.
The term is the lever: extend it and the payment falls while total interest climbs; shorten it and the reverse happens.
A payment that strains the budget is a warning sign; a smaller loan or a little more saving time is the safer route.
Kansas lending rules that apply in Stafford
The sourced rows below are the rules a licensed lender must follow when lending in Kansas, and therefore in Stafford.
| Rule | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| 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 |
How to compare offers in Stafford
Run through this list before signing anything in Stafford:
- 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.