Clarks Grove at a glance
- Population: about 691 residents, ranking 422nd of 853 Census places in Minnesota (US Census Bureau, Vintage 2023 subcounty estimate).
- 2020 Census base: 699 residents at the 2020 Census (US Census Bureau, 2020 count).
- 2020 to 2023 change: down roughly 1.1% across the 2020-to-2023 comparison (US Census Bureau).
- Rank among Minnesota places: 422nd-largest of 853 (US Census Bureau, Vintage 2023 estimate).
- Size percentile: about 51% of places in Minnesota are smaller (US Census Bureau).
- Coordinates: 43.7627, -93.3280 (Census Gazetteer, US Census Bureau).
- Nearest larger cities (within 120 miles): Albert Lea, MN (8 mi); New Richland, MN (12 mi); Blooming Prairie, MN (15 mi); Austin, MN (19 mi); Wells, MN (20 mi) (US Census Bureau populations).
- Smaller places close by: Geneva, MN (5 mi); Hollandale, MN (6 mi); Manchester, MN (7 mi) (US Census Bureau).
What a personal loan costs in Clarks Grove
A personal loan is an installment loan: you receive a lump sum and repay it in fixed monthly payments over a set term, usually two to seven years.
Because the APR includes origination and finance charges, it is the honest comparison number; the personal loan calculator turns an APR and term into a monthly payment.
The offer you receive reflects the lender's read of your credit, income and debts, and the term controls the balance between payment size and total interest.
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.
Minnesota lending rules that apply in Clarks Grove
The table lists the Minnesota rules that apply to a loan made in Clarks Grove, each with the regulator that published it.
| Rule | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| 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 |
How to compare offers in Clarks Grove
A few practical steps will make the process in Clarks Grove 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.