Emerson at a glance
- Population: about 399, 486th by size in Iowa of 940 places (Census Vintage 2023 subcounty estimate).
- 2020 Census base: 398 people counted in the 2020 Census (US Census Bureau).
- 2020 to 2023 change: up about 0.3% from the 2020 Census base to the 2023 estimate (US Census Bureau).
- Rank among Iowa places: 486th of 940 by population (US Census Bureau, Vintage 2023).
- Size percentile: roughly 48% of places in Iowa rank below it by population (US Census Bureau).
- Coordinates: 41.0180, -95.4027 (US Census Bureau Gazetteer).
- Nearest larger cities: Red Oak, IA (9 mi); Malvern, IA (10 mi); Essex, IA (14 mi); Carson, IA (15 mi); Stanton, IA (16 mi) — straight-line distances, US Census Bureau populations.
- Nearest smaller towns: Hastings, IA (5 mi); Henderson, IA (9 mi); Imogene, IA (10 mi) — US Census Bureau populations.
What a personal loan costs in Emerson
A personal loan is structured as an installment plan, with a set number of monthly payments and a fixed amount due each time.
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.
The term is the lever: extend it and the payment falls while total interest climbs; shorten it and the reverse happens.
Shop with more than one lender and treat pre-qualification as an estimate, since the final terms follow a full application.
Iowa lending rules that apply in Emerson
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 |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| 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 |
How to compare offers in Emerson
Run through this list before signing anything in Emerson:
- 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.