Gooding at a glance
- Population: 3,802 (US Census Bureau, Vintage 2023 subcounty estimate), the 41st-largest of 197 places in Idaho.
- 2020 Census base: 3,706 people (US Census Bureau, 2020 Census count).
- 2020 to 2023 change: an increase of about 2.6% since the 2020 count (US Census Bureau).
- Rank among Idaho places: 41st of the state's 197 Census places (US Census Bureau).
- Size percentile: larger than about 79% of the Census places in Idaho (US Census Bureau).
- Coordinates: mapped at 42.9370, -114.7132 by the US Census Bureau Gazetteer.
- Nearest larger cities (120-mile radius): Jerome, ID (18 mi); Buhl, ID (24 mi); Twin Falls, ID (29 mi); Kimberly, ID (33 mi); Hailey, ID (45 mi) (US Census Bureau).
- Smaller places close by: Wendell, ID (11 mi); Bliss, ID (12 mi); Hagerman, ID (13 mi) (US Census Bureau).
What a personal loan costs in Gooding
Personal loans are installment credit — one lump sum, repaid in equal monthly installments across a fixed term you agree to up front.
The number to compare is the APR, not the interest rate, because the APR folds in origination fees and other charges; our personal loan calculator will show what a given amount and term would cost.
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.
Work out the payment you can comfortably carry each month first, then borrow no more than that figure supports.
Idaho lending rules that apply in Gooding
The table carries the Idaho rate and licensing rules that apply to consumer loans made in Gooding.
| Rule | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Idaho Credit Code finance-charge rule | No statutory maximum finance-charge rate — rate as agreed by the parties (Idaho Credit Code) Source says: "the rate of finance charge shall be that which is agreed upon between the parties to the transaction". | Idaho State Legislature as of 2026-09-16 |
| Maximum legal interest rate (usury cap) | 12% per annum legal rate (when no written contract fixes a different rate) Source says: "interest is allowed at the rate of twelve cents (12¢) on the hundred by the year". | Idaho State Legislature as of 2026-09-16 |
| Payday lending status | Permitted under license (payday loan license required) Source says: "No person shall engage in the business of payday loans ... without having first obtained a license under this chapter". | Idaho State Legislature as of 2026-09-16 |
| Small-loan / installment lender licensing | Regulated Lenders License required (regulated consumer loans) Source says: "unless a person is exempt ... he shall not engage in the business of: (a) Making regulated consumer loans". | Idaho State Legislature as of 2026-09-16 |
| State lending regulator | Idaho Department of Finance (IDOF) Source says: "Safeguarding the financial health of Idahoans through the appropriate oversight of diverse financial institutions, the education and protection of consumers". | Idaho Department of Finance as of 2026-09-16 |
How to compare offers in Gooding
The steps below are worth completing first when you borrow in Gooding:
- 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 Idaho using the regulator named above.
- Read the disclosure for origination fees and any prepayment penalty before you sign.