Dawson at a glance
- Population: the Census estimates 110 residents, ranking 806th of 940 places in Iowa (Vintage 2023).
- 2020 Census base: 112 people at the 2020 Census, the baseline for the trend below (US Census Bureau).
- 2020 to 2023 change: about 1.8% lower than the 2020 Census base (US Census Bureau).
- Rank among Iowa places: 806th in population of 940 places (US Census Bureau).
- Size percentile: about 14% of Iowa's Census places are smaller (US Census Bureau).
- Coordinates: the Census Gazetteer places it at 41.8431, -94.2203.
- Nearest larger cities: Jamaica, IA (4 mi); Rippey, IA (6 mi); Perry, IA (7 mi); Yale, IA (8 mi); Bouton, IA (11 mi) (Census populations, approximate straight-line distance).
- Nearest smaller communities: Berkley, IA (9 mi); Beaver, IA (14 mi); Dana, IA (18 mi) (Census populations).
What a personal loan costs in Dawson
Most personal loans are unsecured, meaning no collateral is pledged, and they are repaid in equal installments over a fixed term.
The advertised interest rate leaves out fees that the APR captures, which is why APR is the number to weigh; try the personal loan calculator before you apply.
Stretching the term lowers the monthly payment but raises the total interest you pay, so the smallest payment is not automatically the cheapest loan.
If you are consolidating debt, the loan only helps if you stop adding to the balances it clears; otherwise the total debt grows.
Iowa lending rules that apply in Dawson
Every figure in the table below is sourced to a publisher with a date; where a state does not publish a number, we say so rather than estimate.
| Rule | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| 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 |
How to compare offers in Dawson
These steps are the ones that most affect the offer you receive in Dawson:
- 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.