Buffalo at a glance
- Population: about 16,541, 69th by size in Minnesota of 853 places (Census Vintage 2023 subcounty estimate).
- 2020 Census base: 16,180 people at the 2020 Census, the baseline for the trend below (US Census Bureau).
- 2020 to 2023 change: population rose about 2.2% (US Census Bureau Vintage 2023 estimate vs 2020 Census).
- Rank among Minnesota places: 69th in population of 853 places (US Census Bureau).
- Size percentile: ahead of around 92% of Minnesota places in population terms (US Census Bureau).
- Coordinates: it sits at 45.1795, -93.8640 in the US Census Bureau Gazetteer.
- Nearest larger cities: St. Michael, MN (9 mi); Otsego, MN (13 mi); Elk River, MN (18 mi); Maple Grove, MN (20 mi); Ramsey, MN (21 mi) — straight-line distances, US Census Bureau populations.
- Smaller places nearby: Maple Lake, MN (8 mi); Montrose, MN (8 mi); Rockford, MN (8 mi), per US Census Bureau estimates.
What a personal loan costs in Buffalo
A personal loan is structured as an installment plan, with a set number of monthly payments and a fixed amount due each time.
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.
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.
Minnesota lending rules that apply in Buffalo
Read the table as the compliance picture for a lender serving Buffalo: label, sourced figure, publisher and date.
| Rule | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| State lending regulator | Minnesota Department of Commerce (commissioner of commerce) Source says: ""Commissioner" means the commissioner of commerce" | Minnesota Legislature, Office of the Revisor of Statutes as of 2026-09-16 |
| Payday ability-to-repay requirement | Required for payday loans with an APR above 36% (Minn. Stat. § 47.603) Source says: "This section applies to all payday loans with an annual percentage rate that exceeds 36 percent." | Minnesota Legislature, Office of the Revisor of Statutes as of 2026-09-16 |
| Maximum legal interest rate (usury cap) | 6% per year legal rate of interest; a different rate may be contracted for in writing (Minn. Stat. § 334.01) Source says: "The interest for any legal indebtedness shall be at the rate of $6 upon $100 for a year" | Minnesota Legislature, Office of the Revisor of Statutes as of 2026-09-16 |
| Payday lending status | Legal and licensed; APR capped at 36%, or up to 50% with an ability-to-repay analysis (Minn. Stat. §§ 47.60, 47.601, 47.603) Source says: "The cap on that annual percentage rate is set at either 36%, or up to 50% if the lender conducts an ability to repay analysis" | Minnesota Department of Commerce as of 2026-09-16 |
| Small-loan / installment lender licensing | Regulated loan license required from the commissioner for loans within the Chapter 56 threshold (Minn. Stat. § 56.01) Source says: "without first obtaining a license from the commissioner, no person shall engage in the business of making loans of money" | Minnesota Legislature, Office of the Revisor of Statutes as of 2026-09-16 |
How to compare offers in Buffalo
A few practical steps will make the process in Buffalo 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 Minnesota using the regulator named above.
- Read the disclosure for origination fees and any prepayment penalty before you sign.