Alma at a glance
- Population: about 1,027, 109th by size in Nebraska of 527 places (Census Vintage 2023 subcounty estimate).
- 2020 Census base: 1,037 people counted in the 2020 Census (US Census Bureau).
- 2020 to 2023 change: a decline of roughly 1.0% between the 2020 count and the 2023 estimate (US Census Bureau).
- Rank among Nebraska places: 109th of 527 by population (US Census Bureau, Vintage 2023).
- Size percentile: larger than about 79% of the Census places in Nebraska (US Census Bureau).
- Coordinates: 40.1036 / -99.3657, per the US Census Bureau Gazetteer.
- Nearest larger cities: Holdrege, NE (23 mi); Phillipsburg, KS (24 mi); Norton, KS (33 mi); Minden, NE (34 mi); Smith Center, KS (38 mi), each a US Census place with its estimated population.
- Smaller towns nearby: Orleans, NE (5 mi); Republican City, NE (8 mi); Huntley, NE (8 mi) (US Census Bureau).
What a personal loan costs in Alma
The defining feature of a personal loan is the fixed installment: the same payment every month until the term ends.
The number to compare is the APR, not the interest rate, because the APR folds in origination fees and other charges; our personal loan calculator will show what a given amount and term would cost.
The term is the lever: extend it and the payment falls while total interest climbs; shorten it and the reverse happens.
Set the loan amount from the expense itself rather than the maximum you are approved for, and keep the payment within your existing budget.
Nebraska lending rules that apply in Alma
The Nebraska rate caps and licensing rules that reach Alma are listed below, each with its source and retrieval date.
| Rule | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Small-loan / installment lender licensing | Delayed Deposit Services Licensing Act (Neb. Rev. Stat. 45-901 to 45-931) Source says: "Sections 45-901 to 45-931 shall be known and may be cited as the Delayed Deposit Services Licensing Act." | Nebraska Legislature (Nebraska Revised Statutes) as of 2026-09-16 |
| State lending regulator | Nebraska Department of Banking and Finance (NDBF) Source says: "The Nebraska Department of Banking and Finance is a state agency under the direct supervision of the Governor." | Nebraska Department of Banking and Finance as of 2026-09-16 |
| Delayed deposit services (payday) licensing administration | NDBF publishes delayed deposit services license guidelines, statutes, and a licensed-business search Source says: "Delayed Deposit Services (Payday Lenders)" | Nebraska Department of Banking and Finance as of 2026-09-16 |
| Maximum legal interest rate (usury cap) | 16% per annum maximum on agreed interest (unpaid principal balance) Source says: "any rate of interest which may be agreed upon, not exceeding sixteen percent per annum on the unpaid principal balance, shall be valid" | Nebraska Legislature (Nebraska Revised Statutes) as of 2026-09-16 |
| Payday lending status | Capped at 36% APR (Initiative 428, 2020); violating transactions are void Source says: "A licensee shall not impose an annual percentage rate greater than thirty-six percent in connection with a delayed deposit transaction." | Nebraska Legislature (Nebraska Revised Statutes) as of 2026-09-16 |
How to compare offers in Alma
The order below is a sensible way to approach a loan 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 Nebraska using the regulator named above.
- Read the disclosure for origination fees and any prepayment penalty before you sign.