Bison at a glance
- Population: 171, the 419th-largest community in Kansas out of 625 (US Census Bureau, Vintage 2023).
- 2020 Census base: 179 people counted in the 2020 Census (US Census Bureau).
- 2020 to 2023 change: down roughly 4.5% across the 2020-to-2023 comparison (US Census Bureau).
- Rank among Kansas places: 419th of 625 by population (US Census Bureau, Vintage 2023).
- Size percentile: roughly 33% of places in Kansas rank below it by population (US Census Bureau).
- Coordinates: 38.5199, -99.1979 (Census Gazetteer, US Census Bureau).
- Nearest larger cities (within 120 miles): La Crosse, KS (6 mi); Otis, KS (8 mi); Pawnee Rock, KS (21 mi); Hoisington, KS (23 mi); Victoria, KS (23 mi) (US Census Bureau populations).
- Nearest smaller towns: Timken, KS (3 mi); Rush Center, KS (7 mi); Albert, KS (11 mi) — US Census Bureau populations.
What a personal loan costs in Bison
Unlike a revolving credit card, a personal loan is closed-end: the balance falls on a fixed schedule and the payment does not change.
APR, not the simple interest rate, reflects what the loan actually costs once fees are included; the personal loan calculator puts a figure on it.
Stretching the term lowers the monthly payment but raises the total interest you pay, so the smallest payment is not automatically the cheapest loan.
Pre-qualification is a good first filter: it shows the rate and amount a lender may offer before you agree to a full application and a hard inquiry.
Kansas lending rules that apply in Bison
The Kansas rate caps and licensing rules that reach Bison are listed below, each with its source and retrieval date.
| Rule | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Small-loan / installment lender licensing | Supervised lender license required (supervised loans) Source says: "Unless a person is exempt from licensing ... such person shall not engage in the business of: (a) Making supervised loans". | Kansas Office of the Revisor of Statutes as of 2026-09-16 |
| State lending regulator | Kansas Office of the State Bank Commissioner (OSBC) Source says: "The Office of the State Bank Commissioner regulates all state-chartered banks, trust companies, mortgage businesses, supervised lenders, credit service organizations, earned wage access service providers, and money transmitters". | Kansas Office of the State Bank Commissioner as of 2026-09-16 |
| UCCC consumer loan rate caps | 36% on first $860 of unpaid balance; 21% above $860 (closed-end consumer loans) Source says: "36% on the unpaid principal balance which is $860 or less, and 21% on the unpaid principal balance which exceeds $860". | Kansas Office of the State Bank Commissioner as of 2026-09-16 |
| Maximum legal interest rate (usury cap) | 15% per annum (general contract-rate ceiling for written instruments) Source says: "may stipulate therein for interest receivable ... at a rate not to exceed 15% per annum unless otherwise specifically authorized by law". | Kansas Office of the Revisor of Statutes as of 2026-09-16 |
| Payday lending status | Permitted under license (payday cash advances of $500 or less; charge capped at 15%) Source says: "a licensed or supervised lender may charge an amount not to exceed 15% of the amount of the cash advance". | Kansas Office of the Revisor of Statutes as of 2026-09-16 |
How to compare offers in Bison
The steps below are worth completing first when you borrow in Bison:
- 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 Kansas using the regulator named above.
- Read the disclosure for origination fees and any prepayment penalty before you sign.