Fairfield at a glance
- Population: 9,300, the 45th-largest community in Iowa out of 940 (US Census Bureau, Vintage 2023).
- 2020 Census base: 9,423 residents (US Census Bureau, 2020 Census).
- 2020 to 2023 change: down about 1.3% from the 2020 Census base to the 2023 estimate (US Census Bureau).
- Rank among Iowa places: 45th of the state's 940 Census places (US Census Bureau).
- Size percentile: about 95% of Iowa's Census places are smaller (US Census Bureau).
- Coordinates: 41.0064, -91.9666 (Census Gazetteer, US Census Bureau).
- Nearest larger cities: Ottumwa, IA (24 mi); Oskaloosa, IA (40 mi); Fort Madison, IA (42 mi); Burlington, IA (46 mi); Iowa City, IA (50 mi), each a US Census place with its estimated population.
- Nearest smaller places: Maharishi Vedic City, IA (4 mi); Libertyville, IA (5 mi); Birmingham, IA (9 mi) (US Census Bureau estimates).
What a personal loan costs in Fairfield
A personal loan hands you a single sum and a repayment schedule of equal monthly installments over an agreed term.
APR, not the simple interest rate, reflects what the loan actually costs once fees are included; the personal loan calculator puts a figure on it.
The offer you receive reflects the lender's read of your credit, income and debts, and the term controls the balance between payment size and total interest.
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.
Iowa lending rules that apply in Fairfield
The Iowa rate caps and licensing rules that reach Fairfield are listed below, each with its source and retrieval date.
| 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 Fairfield
These steps are the ones that most affect the offer you receive in Fairfield:
- 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.