Crested Butte at a glance
- Population: about 1,658 residents, ranking 126th of 270 Census places in Colorado (US Census Bureau, Vintage 2023 subcounty estimate).
- 2020 Census base: 1,646 people at the 2020 Census, the baseline for the trend below (US Census Bureau).
- 2020 to 2023 change: about 0.7% more residents than the 2020 Census base (US Census Bureau).
- Rank among Colorado places: 126th-largest of 270 (US Census Bureau, Vintage 2023 estimate).
- Size percentile: larger than about 53% of the Census places in Colorado (US Census Bureau).
- Coordinates: 38.8678, -106.9773 (Census Gazetteer, US Census Bureau).
- Nearest larger cities: Gunnison, CO (22 mi); Aspen, CO (24 mi); Snowmass Village, CO (24 mi); Basalt, CO (35 mi); Carbondale, CO (39 mi); each population is a US Census Bureau estimate.
- Nearest smaller communities: Mount Crested Butte, CO (3 mi); Marble, CO (18 mi); Pitkin, CO (31 mi) (Census populations).
What a personal loan costs in Crested Butte
Most personal loans are unsecured, meaning no collateral is pledged, and they are repaid in equal installments over a fixed term.
Judge an offer by its APR, which blends the interest rate with fees, and use the personal loan calculator to see the total cost.
Your credit, income and existing debts drive the rate a lender offers, while the term you pick sets how much interest builds on top.
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.
Colorado lending rules that apply in Crested Butte
The Colorado rate caps and licensing rules that reach Crested Butte are listed below, each with its source and retrieval date.
| Rule | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| 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 |
How to compare offers in Crested Butte
Before you commit to a personal loan in Crested Butte, 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.