Cortez at a glance
- Population: the Census estimates 9,033 residents, ranking 59th of 270 places in Colorado (Vintage 2023).
- 2020 Census base: the 2020 Census recorded 8,760 residents here (US Census Bureau).
- 2020 to 2023 change: a gain of roughly 3.1% between the 2020 count and the 2023 estimate (US Census Bureau).
- Rank among Colorado places: 59th out of 270 Census places (US Census Bureau).
- Size percentile: it exceeds roughly 78% of Colorado's Census places by population (US Census Bureau).
- Coordinates: it sits at 37.3498, -108.5767 in the US Census Bureau Gazetteer.
- Nearest larger cities: Durango, CO (39 mi); Farmington, NM (47 mi); Montrose, CO (87 mi); Delta, CO (101 mi); each population is a US Census Bureau estimate.
- Smaller towns nearby: Dolores, CO (10 mi); Mancos, CO (16 mi); Dove Creek, CO (34 mi) (US Census Bureau).
What a personal loan costs in Cortez
Most personal loans are unsecured, meaning no collateral is pledged, and they are repaid in equal installments over a fixed term.
APR is the figure that lets you compare like with like, since it wraps fees into the rate; run your own numbers with the 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.
Colorado lending rules that apply in Cortez
Where a figure is not published by the state, the row points to the source instead of guessing.
| Rule | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| State lending regulator | Colorado Attorney General's Office — Consumer Credit Unit (Administrator of the Uniform Consumer Credit Code) Source says: "The Consumer Credit Unit regulates (through licensure/registration programs) companies and individuals involved in consumer lending"; it "licenses non-bank lenders such as finance companies and payday lenders". | Colorado Attorney General — Consumer Protection Section as of 2026-09-16 |
| Maximum legal interest rate (usury cap) | UCCC finance-charge ceilings: 12% per year on non-supervised consumer loans; supervised loans 36% on the first $1,000, 21% on $1,000–$3,000, 15% above $3,000 (or 21% flat); 21% on revolving accounts Source says: "not exceeding twelve percent per year on the unpaid balance of the amount financed"; "Thirty-six percent per year on that part of the unpaid balances of the amount financed that is one thousand dollars or less"; "Twenty-one percent per year on the unpaid balances of the amount financed". | Colorado General Assembly — C.R.S. § 5-2-201 (Colorado Revised Statutes 2024, Title 5) as of 2026-09-16 |
| Payday lending status | Permitted but capped at 36% APR (Proposition 111, effective February 1, 2019) Source says: "a finance charge for each deferred deposit loan or payday loan that must not exceed an annual percentage rate of thirty-six percent". | Colorado General Assembly — C.R.S. § 5-3.1-105 (Deferred Deposit Loan Act) as of 2026-09-16 |
| Small-loan / installment lender licensing | Supervised lender license required from the UCCC Administrator (master license required for more than one place of business); deferred deposit lenders must hold a supervised lender's license Source says: "if a supervised lender has more than one place of business, they must obtain a master license"; "no person shall engage in the business of deferred deposit loans without having first obtained a supervised lender's license" (C.R.S. § 5-3.1-116). | Colorado Attorney General — Uniform Consumer Credit Code licensing as of 2026-09-16 |
How to compare offers in Cortez
Before you commit to a personal loan in Cortez, work through these steps:
- 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 Colorado using the regulator named above.
- Read the disclosure for origination fees and any prepayment penalty before you sign.