Winterset at a glance
- Population: 5,374, the 77th-largest community in Iowa out of 940 (US Census Bureau, Vintage 2023).
- 2020 Census base: 5,355 people at the 2020 Census, the baseline for the trend below (US Census Bureau).
- 2020 to 2023 change: up roughly 0.4% across the 2020-to-2023 comparison (US Census Bureau).
- Rank among Iowa places: 77th in population of 940 places (US Census Bureau).
- Size percentile: larger than about 92% of the Census places in Iowa (US Census Bureau).
- Coordinates: 41.3499 latitude, -94.0181 longitude (US Census Bureau Gazetteer).
- Nearest larger cities: Adel, IA (18 mi); Waukee, IA (18 mi); West Des Moines, IA (18 mi); Norwalk, IA (19 mi); Clive, IA (21 mi) (Census populations, approximate straight-line distance).
- Nearest smaller towns: Patterson, IA (7 mi); East Peru, IA (10 mi); Earlham, IA (11 mi) (US Census Bureau).
What a personal loan costs in Winterset
With an installment loan the payment is fixed for the life of the loan, so the schedule is predictable from the first month to the last.
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.
Choosing a longer term eases the monthly budget but adds interest over the life of the loan; a shorter term costs more per month and less overall.
Most lenders offer pre-qualification with a soft credit pull, so you can see an estimated rate and amount without affecting your credit score.
Iowa lending rules that apply in Winterset
The table carries the Iowa rate and licensing rules that apply to consumer loans made in Winterset.
| 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 Winterset
A few practical steps will make the process in Winterset less costly:
- 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.