Alma at a glance
- Population: 394 — 516th in Missouri, which has 937 Census places (US Census Bureau, Vintage 2023).
- 2020 Census base: 401 people at the 2020 Census, the baseline for the trend below (US Census Bureau).
- 2020 to 2023 change: down roughly 1.7% across the 2020-to-2023 comparison (US Census Bureau).
- Rank among Missouri places: 516th of the state's 937 Census places (US Census Bureau).
- Size percentile: about 45% of places in Missouri are smaller (US Census Bureau).
- Coordinates: latitude 39.0964, longitude -93.5478 (US Census Bureau Gazetteer).
- Nearest larger cities: Corder, MO (5 mi); Concordia, MO (8 mi); Waverly, MO (8 mi); Higginsville, MO (10 mi); Sweet Springs, MO (12 mi) — straight-line distances, US Census Bureau populations.
- Smaller places nearby: Blackburn, MO (3 mi); Mount Leonard, MO (8 mi); Emma, MO (9 mi), per US Census Bureau estimates.
What a personal loan costs in Alma
A personal loan hands you a single sum and a repayment schedule of equal monthly installments over an agreed term.
Judge an offer by its APR, which blends the interest rate with fees, and use the personal loan calculator to see the total cost.
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.
A payment that strains the budget is a warning sign; a smaller loan or a little more saving time is the safer route.
Missouri lending rules that apply in Alma
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Small-loan / installment lender licensing | Consumer credit lenders licensed and regulated by the Division of Finance's consumer credit section (Chapters 367 and 408, RSMo) Source says: "The consumer credit section of the Missouri Division of Finance is responsible for licensing and regulating various types of consumer finance companies" | Missouri Division of Finance as of 2026-09-16 |
| State lending regulator | Missouri Division of Finance (Department of Commerce and Insurance) Source says: "We regulate state-chartered banks, trust companies, consumer credit facilities, mortgage brokers, and savings and loan institutions" | Missouri Division of Finance as of 2026-09-16 |
| Additional loan fee cap (30+ day loans) | Up to 10% of principal, capped at $100 (RSMo § 408.140) Source says: "a fee, not to exceed ten percent of the principal amount loaned not to exceed one hundred dollars may be charged by the lender" | Missouri Revisor of Statutes as of 2026-09-16 |
| Maximum legal interest rate (usury cap) | 10% per annum, or the higher published 'market rate' (RSMo § 408.030) Source says: "a rate of interest not exceeding ten percent per annum on money due or to become due upon any contract" | Missouri Revisor of Statutes as of 2026-09-16 |
| Payday lending status | Legal and licensed — unsecured loans of $500 or less require a license from the Director of the Division of Finance (RSMo § 408.500) Source says: "in the business of making unsecured loans of five hundred dollars or less shall obtain a license from the director of the division of finance" | Missouri Revisor of Statutes as of 2026-09-16 |
How to compare offers in Alma
These steps are the ones that most affect the offer you receive in Alma:
- 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 Missouri using the regulator named above.
- Read the disclosure for origination fees and any prepayment penalty before you sign.