Clayton at a glance
- Population: 46 — 901st in Iowa, which has 940 Census places (US Census Bureau, Vintage 2023).
- 2020 Census base: 46 people counted in the 2020 Census (US Census Bureau).
- 2020 to 2023 change: essentially flat from the 2020 Census base to the 2023 estimate (US Census Bureau).
- Rank among Iowa places: 901st of the state's 940 Census places (US Census Bureau).
- Size percentile: roughly 4% of places in Iowa rank below it by population (US Census Bureau).
- Coordinates: 42.9023, -91.1493 (Census Gazetteer, US Census Bureau).
- Nearest larger cities (120-mile radius): Bagley, WI (3 mi); Garnavillo, IA (5 mi); Guttenberg, IA (8 mi); McGregor, IA (9 mi); Patch Grove, WI (9 mi) (US Census Bureau).
- Smaller places close by: Osterdock, IA (12 mi); Elkport, IA (13 mi); Bankston, IA (29 mi) (US Census Bureau).
What a personal loan costs in Clayton
With an installment loan the payment is fixed for the life of the loan, so the schedule is predictable from the first month to the last.
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.
Because interest accrues for longer, a longer term means a lower installment and a higher total cost — decide which matters more to you.
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.
Iowa lending rules that apply in Clayton
The table lists the Iowa rules that apply to a loan made in Clayton, each with the regulator that published it.
| Rule | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Delayed deposit fee cap | Fee cap: $15 on first $100 of check face amount; $10 on subsequent $100 increments Source says: "fifteen dollars on the first one hundred dollars ... or more than ten dollars on subsequent one hundred dollar increments". | Iowa Legislature (Iowa Code) as of 2026-09-16 |
| Maximum legal interest rate (usury cap) | 2 percentage points above the monthly average 10-year U.S. Treasury constant maturity rate (written agreements) Source says: "The maximum lawful rate of interest ... in any written agreement ... shall be two percentage points above the monthly average ten-year constant maturity interest rate". | Iowa Legislature (Iowa Code) as of 2026-09-16 |
| Payday lending status | Permitted under license (delayed deposit services; must be physically located in Iowa) Source says: "A person shall not operate a delayed deposit services business in this state unless the person is physically located in this state and licensed by the superintendent". | Iowa Legislature (Iowa Code) as of 2026-09-16 |
| Small-loan / installment lender licensing | Regulated Loan Act license required (superintendent of banking) Source says: "shall not engage in the business of making loans ... without first obtaining a license from the superintendent of banking". | Iowa Legislature (Iowa Code) as of 2026-09-16 |
| State lending regulator | Iowa Division of Banking (IDOB), Iowa Department of Insurance and Financial Services Source says: "As part of the 2023 state government realignment, the IDOB became part of a new Department of Insurance and Financial Services". | Iowa Division of Banking as of 2026-09-16 |
How to compare offers in Clayton
The steps below are worth completing first when you borrow in Clayton:
- 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 Iowa using the regulator named above.
- Read the disclosure for origination fees and any prepayment penalty before you sign.