Fort Scott at a glance
- Population: about 7,565 residents, ranking 48th of 625 Census places in Kansas (US Census Bureau, Vintage 2023 subcounty estimate).
- 2020 Census base: 7,556 residents (US Census Bureau, 2020 Census).
- 2020 to 2023 change: about 0.1% more residents than the 2020 Census base (US Census Bureau).
- Rank among Kansas places: 48th in population of 625 places (US Census Bureau).
- Size percentile: it exceeds roughly 92% of Kansas's Census places by population (US Census Bureau).
- Coordinates: mapped at 37.8280, -94.7041 by the US Census Bureau Gazetteer.
- Nearest larger cities: Nevada, MO (19 mi); Pittsburg, KS (29 mi); Chanute, KS (43 mi); Parsons, KS (46 mi); Carl Junction, MO (47 mi); each population is a US Census Bureau estimate.
- Nearest smaller communities: Redfield, KS (10 mi); Richards, MO (10 mi); Deerfield, MO (11 mi), each a US Census place.
What a personal loan costs in Fort Scott
The defining feature of a personal loan is the fixed installment: the same payment every month until the term ends.
Because the APR includes origination and finance charges, it is the honest comparison number; the personal loan calculator turns an APR and term into a monthly payment.
Lenders weigh your credit history, income and debts when they set the rate, and the term you choose then determines how that rate compounds into total cost.
If you are consolidating debt, the loan only helps if you stop adding to the balances it clears; otherwise the total debt grows.
Kansas lending rules that apply in Fort Scott
The Kansas rate caps and licensing rules that reach Fort Scott are listed below, each with its source and retrieval date.
| Rule | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Payday lending status | Permitted under license (payday cash advances of $500 or less; charge capped at 15%) Source says: "a licensed or supervised lender may charge an amount not to exceed 15% of the amount of the cash advance". | Kansas Office of the Revisor of Statutes as of 2026-09-16 |
| Small-loan / installment lender licensing | Supervised lender license required (supervised loans) Source says: "Unless a person is exempt from licensing ... such person shall not engage in the business of: (a) Making supervised loans". | Kansas Office of the Revisor of Statutes as of 2026-09-16 |
| State lending regulator | Kansas Office of the State Bank Commissioner (OSBC) Source says: "The Office of the State Bank Commissioner regulates all state-chartered banks, trust companies, mortgage businesses, supervised lenders, credit service organizations, earned wage access service providers, and money transmitters". | Kansas Office of the State Bank Commissioner as of 2026-09-16 |
| UCCC consumer loan rate caps | 36% on first $860 of unpaid balance; 21% above $860 (closed-end consumer loans) Source says: "36% on the unpaid principal balance which is $860 or less, and 21% on the unpaid principal balance which exceeds $860". | Kansas Office of the State Bank Commissioner as of 2026-09-16 |
| Maximum legal interest rate (usury cap) | 15% per annum (general contract-rate ceiling for written instruments) Source says: "may stipulate therein for interest receivable ... at a rate not to exceed 15% per annum unless otherwise specifically authorized by law". | Kansas Office of the Revisor of Statutes as of 2026-09-16 |
How to compare offers in Fort Scott
A few practical steps will make the process in Fort Scott less costly:
- 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 Kansas using the regulator named above.
- Read the disclosure for origination fees and any prepayment penalty before you sign.