Great Bend at a glance
- Population: a Census-estimated 14,372, placing it 26th among Kansas's 625 places (Vintage 2023 subcounty estimate).
- 2020 Census base: 14,741 people counted in the 2020 Census (US Census Bureau).
- 2020 to 2023 change: about 2.5% lower than the 2020 Census base (US Census Bureau).
- Rank among Kansas places: 26th by size among 625 communities (US Census Bureau).
- Size percentile: ahead of around 96% of Kansas places in population terms (US Census Bureau).
- Coordinates: mapped at 38.3598, -98.7995 by the US Census Bureau Gazetteer.
- Nearest larger cities: Hays, KS (46 mi); Hutchinson, KS (52 mi); Salina, KS (71 mi); Dodge City, KS (78 mi); Newton, KS (82 mi); each population is a US Census Bureau estimate.
- Nearest smaller towns: Hoisington, KS (11 mi); Ellinwood, KS (12 mi); Pawnee Rock, KS (12 mi) — US Census Bureau populations.
What a personal loan costs in Great Bend
A personal loan gives you the full amount at once and spreads repayment over a set number of months at a fixed payment.
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 term is the lever: extend it and the payment falls while total interest climbs; shorten it and the reverse happens.
Set the loan amount from the expense itself rather than the maximum you are approved for, and keep the payment within your existing budget.
Kansas lending rules that apply in Great Bend
The Kansas rate caps and licensing rules that reach Great Bend are listed below, each with its source and retrieval date.
| Rule | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| 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 |
How to compare offers in Great Bend
Run through this list before signing anything in Great Bend:
- 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.