Waterford at a glance
- Population: about 5,744, 141st by size in Wisconsin of 605 places (Census Vintage 2023 subcounty estimate).
- 2020 Census base: 5,542 residents at the 2020 Census (US Census Bureau, 2020 count).
- 2020 to 2023 change: a gain of roughly 3.6% between the 2020 count and the 2023 estimate (US Census Bureau).
- Rank among Wisconsin places: 141st by size among 605 communities (US Census Bureau).
- Size percentile: it is larger than about 77% of the places in Wisconsin (US Census Bureau).
- Coordinates: latitude 42.7660, longitude -88.2168 (US Census Bureau Gazetteer).
- Nearest larger cities: Burlington, WI (7 mi); Mukwonago, WI (8 mi); Vernon, WI (8 mi); Muskego, WI (8 mi); Franklin, WI (13 mi) — straight-line distances, US Census Bureau populations.
- Nearest smaller places: Rochester, WI (3 mi); Big Bend, WI (8 mi); East Troy, WI (9 mi) (US Census Bureau estimates).
What a personal loan costs in Waterford
The defining feature of a personal loan is the fixed installment: the same payment every month until the term ends.
Compare offers on APR rather than the headline rate — the APR includes most fees, and you can model the total with our personal loan calculator.
Because interest accrues for longer, a longer term means a lower installment and a higher total cost — decide which matters more to you.
Pre-qualifying with several lenders takes minutes, uses a soft pull, and gives you real numbers to compare before any hard inquiry.
Wisconsin lending rules that apply in Waterford
Each row below is a Wisconsin rule with its publisher and the date it was retrieved.
| Rule | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Payday lending status | Legal and licensed by the DFI Division of Banking; statewide database tracking (Wis. Stat. § 138.14) Source says: "Licensee" means a person holding a license issued by the division under sub. (5) | Wisconsin State Legislature as of 2026-09-16 |
| Small-loan / installment lender licensing | Licensed lender license required from the Division of Banking (Wis. Stat. § 138.09) Source says: Before any person may do business under this section, that person shall first obtain a license from the division. | Wisconsin State Legislature as of 2026-09-16 |
| State lending regulator | Wisconsin Department of Financial Institutions (DFI), Division of Banking Source says: "Department" means the department of financial institutions | Wisconsin State Legislature as of 2026-09-16 |
| Maximum legal interest rate (usury cap) | 12% per year maximum ($12 per $100) on the declining principal balance, except as authorized by other statutes (Wis. Stat. § 138.05(1)(a)) Source says: At the rate of $12 upon $100 for one year computed upon the declining principal balance of the loan or forbearance | Wisconsin State Legislature as of 2026-09-16 |
How to compare offers in Waterford
These steps are the ones that most affect the offer you receive in Waterford:
- 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 Wisconsin using the regulator named above.
- Read the disclosure for origination fees and any prepayment penalty before you sign.