Cooperstown at a glance
- Population: 1,837 — 316th in New York, which has 595 Census places (US Census Bureau, Vintage 2023).
- 2020 Census base: 1,857 people (US Census Bureau, 2020 Census count).
- 2020 to 2023 change: down roughly 1.1% across the 2020-to-2023 comparison (US Census Bureau).
- Rank among New York places: 316th of 595 by population (US Census Bureau, Vintage 2023).
- Size percentile: about 47% of New York's Census places are smaller (US Census Bureau).
- Coordinates: mapped at 42.6989, -74.9307 by the US Census Bureau Gazetteer.
- Nearest larger cities (120-mile radius): Oneonta, NY (18 mi); Mohawk, NY (22 mi); Ilion, NY (22 mi); Fort Plain, NY (22 mi); Cobleskill, NY (23 mi) (US Census Bureau).
- Smaller places nearby: Milford, NY (8 mi); Richfield Springs, NY (11 mi); Cherry Valley, NY (11 mi), per US Census Bureau estimates.
What a personal loan costs in Cooperstown
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.
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.
Stretching the term lowers the monthly payment but raises the total interest you pay, so the smallest payment is not automatically the cheapest loan.
A useful rule is to keep the new payment inside the room your budget already has, so the loan eases pressure instead of adding to it.
New York lending rules that apply in Cooperstown
The table lists the New York rules that apply to a loan made in Cooperstown, each with the regulator that published it.
| Rule | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Small-loan / installment lender licensing | Licensed Lender license required (Banking Law Article 9, sections 340-361); administered via NMLS Source says: "The Department of Financial Services uses the Nationwide Multistate Licensing System and Registry (NMLS) to manage the Licensed Lender License." | New York State Department of Financial Services as of 2026-09-16 |
| State lending regulator | New York State Department of Financial Services (DFS) Source says: "Notify the Department of Financial Services at (800) 342-3736 if you believe payday loans are being made in New York" | New York State Department of Financial Services as of 2026-09-16 |
| Criminal usury in the second degree (Penal Law 190.40) | Interest rate exceeding 25% per annum; class E felony Source says: "at a rate exceeding twenty-five per centum per annum or the equivalent rate for a longer or shorter period" | New York State Senate (Open Legislation) as of 2026-09-16 |
| Maximum legal interest rate (usury cap) | 16% per annum maximum civil rate (Banking Law 14-a; General Obligations Law 5-501) Source says: "The maximum rate of interest provided for in section 5-501 of the general obligations law shall be sixteen per centum per annum." | New York State Senate (Open Legislation) as of 2026-09-16 |
| Payday lending status | Illegal in New York State, in person, by telephone, or over the Internet Source says: "Payday loans are illegal in New York State." | New York State Department of Financial Services as of 2026-09-16 |
How to compare offers in Cooperstown
These steps are the ones that most affect the offer you receive in Cooperstown:
- 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 New York using the regulator named above.
- Read the disclosure for origination fees and any prepayment penalty before you sign.