Gladstone at a glance
- Population: a Census-estimated 5,237, placing it 147th among Michigan's 533 places (Vintage 2023 subcounty estimate).
- 2020 Census base: 5,258 people (US Census Bureau, 2020 Census count).
- 2020 to 2023 change: population fell about 0.4% (US Census Bureau Vintage 2023 estimate vs 2020 Census).
- Rank among Michigan places: 147th-largest of 533 (US Census Bureau, Vintage 2023 estimate).
- Size percentile: roughly 72% of places in Michigan rank below it by population (US Census Bureau).
- Coordinates: 45.8505, -87.0262 (Census Gazetteer, US Census Bureau).
- Nearest larger cities within 120 miles: Escanaba, MI (8 mi); Iron Mountain, MI (50 mi); Marquette, MI (52 mi); Ishpeming, MI (53 mi); Menominee, MI (58 mi) (US Census Bureau).
- Nearest smaller communities: Garden, MI (23 mi); Powers, MI (27 mi); Carney, MI (31 mi), each a US Census place.
What a personal loan costs in Gladstone
The defining feature of a personal loan is the fixed installment: the same payment every month until the term ends.
Two loans can share an interest rate and still differ in APR once fees are counted, so compare APR; our personal loan calculator shows the difference over the full term.
A longer repayment period spreads the cost and increases the interest paid, so compare total cost, not just the monthly figure.
Shop with more than one lender and treat pre-qualification as an estimate, since the final terms follow a full application.
Michigan lending rules that apply in Gladstone
The table lists the Michigan rules that apply to a loan made in Gladstone, each with the regulator that published it.
| Rule | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Small-loan / installment lender licensing | License required from the commissioner to make regulated loans (Regulatory Loan Act, MCL 493.1 et seq.) Source says: "a person shall not engage in the business of making loans of money ... without first obtaining a license from the commissioner" | Michigan Legislature as of 2026-09-16 |
| State lending regulator | Michigan Department of Insurance and Financial Services (DIFS) Source says: ""Department" means the department of insurance and financial services" | Michigan Legislature as of 2026-09-16 |
| Regulated lender interest/finance charge cap | 25% per annum (Credit Reform Act, MCL 445.1854(1)) Source says: "may charge, collect, and receive any rate of interest or finance charge for an extension of credit not to exceed 25% per annum" | Michigan Legislature as of 2026-09-16 |
| Maximum legal interest rate (usury cap) | 7% per annum maximum by written agreement; 5% legal rate (MCL 438.31) Source says: "it shall be lawful for the parties to stipulate in writing for the payment of any rate of interest, not exceeding 7% per annum" | Michigan Legislature as of 2026-09-16 |
| Payday lending status | Legal and licensed — deferred presentment service transactions (2005 PA 244; MCL 487.2121 et seq.), licensed and regulated by DIFS Source says: "AN ACT to regulate the business of providing deferred presentment service transactions; to require the licensing of providers of deferred presentment service transactions" | Michigan Legislature as of 2026-09-16 |
How to compare offers in Gladstone
Before you commit to a personal loan in Gladstone, work through these steps:
- 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 Michigan using the regulator named above.
- Read the disclosure for origination fees and any prepayment penalty before you sign.