Fort Collins at a glance
- Population: 170,376 residents, the 4th-largest of 270 places in Colorado (US Census Bureau, Vintage 2023).
- 2020 Census base: 169,826 residents in the 2020 Census, per the US Census Bureau.
- 2020 to 2023 change: population rose about 0.3% (US Census Bureau Vintage 2023 estimate vs 2020 Census).
- Rank among Colorado places: 4th largest of 270 (US Census Bureau).
- Size percentile: roughly 99% of places in Colorado rank below it by population (US Census Bureau).
- Coordinates: mapped at 40.5482, -105.0648 by the US Census Bureau Gazetteer.
- Nearest larger cities (120-mile radius): Denver, CO (55 mi); Aurora, CO (61 mi); Colorado Springs, CO (117 mi) (US Census Bureau).
- Nearest smaller communities: Timnath, CO (5 mi); Loveland, CO (9 mi); Windsor, CO (9 mi), each a US Census place.
What a personal loan costs in Fort Collins
A personal loan hands you a single sum and a repayment schedule of equal monthly installments over an agreed term.
The APR is the comparable price of a loan since it folds in fees; model any offer with the personal loan calculator first.
A longer repayment period spreads the cost and increases the interest paid, so compare total cost, not just the monthly figure.
Work out the payment you can comfortably carry each month first, then borrow no more than that figure supports.
Colorado lending rules that apply in Fort Collins
The table lists the Colorado rules that apply to a loan made in Fort Collins, each with the regulator that published it.
| Rule | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| 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 |
How to compare offers in Fort Collins
These steps are the ones that most affect the offer you receive in Fort Collins:
- 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.