Calais at a glance
- Population: about 3,126 residents, ranking 21st of 23 Census places in Maine (US Census Bureau, Vintage 2023 subcounty estimate).
- 2020 Census base: 3,081 people at the 2020 Census, the baseline for the trend below (US Census Bureau).
- 2020 to 2023 change: about 1.5% growth over the 2020 Census base (US Census Bureau).
- Rank among Maine places: 21st-largest of 23 (US Census Bureau, Vintage 2023 estimate).
- Size percentile: roughly 9% of places in Maine rank below it by population (US Census Bureau).
- Coordinates: latitude 45.1430, longitude -67.2175 (US Census Bureau Gazetteer).
- Nearest larger cities within 120 miles: Ellsworth, ME (73 mi); Old Town, ME (75 mi); Brewer, ME (78 mi); Bangor, ME (80 mi); Belfast, ME (102 mi) (US Census Bureau).
- Nearest smaller towns: Eastport, ME (19 mi) (US Census Bureau).
What a personal loan costs in Calais
The defining feature of a personal loan is the fixed installment: the same payment every month until the term ends.
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.
The term is the lever: extend it and the payment falls while total interest climbs; shorten it and the reverse happens.
A payment that strains the budget is a warning sign; a smaller loan or a little more saving time is the safer route.
Maine lending rules that apply in Calais
Where a figure is not published by the state, the row points to the source instead of guessing.
| Rule | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum finance charge for supervised lenders | $5 (loans ≤$75), $15 ($75–<$250), $25 (≥$250) — 9-A M.R.S. § 2-401(7) Source says: "the lender may contract for and receive a minimum charge of not more than ... Twenty-five dollars when the amount financed is $250 or more" | Maine Legislature as of 2026-09-16 |
| Maximum legal interest rate (usury cap) | 30% per year on unpaid balances up to $2,000; 24% on $2,000–$4,000; 18% above $4,000 (9-A M.R.S. § 2-401(2)) Source says: "30% per year on that part of the unpaid balances of the amount financed that is $2,000 or less" | Maine Legislature as of 2026-09-16 |
| Payday lending status | Payday lenders are licensed as supervised lenders by the BCCP and subject to the 9-A § 2-401 finance-charge caps Source says: "Supervised Lenders Including Mortgage Lenders and Servicers, Non-Mortgage Supervised Lenders, Payday Lenders, and Insurance Premium Finance Companies" | Maine Bureau of Consumer Credit Protection as of 2026-09-16 |
| Small-loan / installment lender licensing | Supervised lender license required when the finance charge exceeds 12 1/4% per year (or the loan is secured by real estate); applications via NMLS Source says: "Anyone who makes, takes assignment of, or services consumer loans in which the rate of the finance charge ... exceeds 12 1/4% per year" | Maine Bureau of Consumer Credit Protection as of 2026-09-16 |
| State lending regulator | Maine Bureau of Consumer Credit Protection (Department of Professional and Financial Regulation) Source says: "The Bureau of Consumer Credit Protection licenses and registers the following business entities" | Maine Bureau of Consumer Credit Protection as of 2026-09-16 |
How to compare offers in Calais
A few practical steps will make the process in Calais 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 Maine using the regulator named above.
- Read the disclosure for origination fees and any prepayment penalty before you sign.