Thornton at a glance
- Population: 393 — 491st in Iowa, which has 940 Census places (US Census Bureau, Vintage 2023).
- 2020 Census base: 405 residents in the 2020 Census, per the US Census Bureau.
- 2020 to 2023 change: roughly 3.0% fewer residents than at the 2020 Census (US Census Bureau).
- Rank among Iowa places: 491st out of 940 Census places (US Census Bureau).
- Size percentile: ahead of around 48% of Iowa places in population terms (US Census Bureau).
- Coordinates: latitude 42.9442, longitude -93.3870 (US Census Bureau Gazetteer).
- Nearest larger cities: Sheffield, IA (10 mi); Rockwell, IA (10 mi); Klemme, IA (12 mi); Latimer, IA (13 mi); Belmond, IA (13 mi); each population is a US Census Bureau estimate.
- Smaller places close by: Swaledale, IA (4 mi); Meservey, IA (5 mi); Alexander, IA (11 mi) (US Census Bureau).
What a personal loan costs in Thornton
The defining feature of a personal loan is the fixed installment: the same payment every month until the term ends.
APR is the figure that lets you compare like with like, since it wraps fees into the rate; run your own numbers with the personal loan calculator.
A longer repayment period spreads the cost and increases the interest paid, so compare total cost, not just the monthly figure.
Shop with more than one lender and treat pre-qualification as an estimate, since the final terms follow a full application.
Iowa lending rules that apply in Thornton
The Iowa rate caps and licensing rules that reach Thornton are listed below, each with its source and retrieval date.
| Rule | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| 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 |
How to compare offers in Thornton
The order below is a sensible way to approach a loan in Thornton:
- 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.