La Porte at a glance
- Population: 22,486 (US Census Bureau, Vintage 2023 subcounty estimate), the 44th-largest of 565 places in Indiana.
- 2020 Census base: 22,449 people counted in the 2020 Census (US Census Bureau).
- 2020 to 2023 change: a gain of roughly 0.2% between the 2020 count and the 2023 estimate (US Census Bureau).
- Rank among Indiana places: 44th of the state's 565 Census places (US Census Bureau).
- Size percentile: about 92% of Indiana's Census places are smaller (US Census Bureau).
- Coordinates: 41.6061, -86.7137 (US Census Bureau Gazetteer).
- Nearest larger cities: Michigan City, IN (11 mi); Valparaiso, IN (20 mi); South Bend, IN (23 mi); Portage, IN (24 mi); Mishawaka, IN (29 mi), each a US Census place with its estimated population.
- Smaller places close by: Kingsbury, IN (5 mi); Kingsford Heights, IN (9 mi); Trail Creek, IN (10 mi) (US Census Bureau).
What a personal loan costs in La Porte
A personal loan is structured as an installment plan, with a set number of monthly payments and a fixed amount due each time.
The advertised interest rate leaves out fees that the APR captures, which is why APR is the number to weigh; try the personal loan calculator before you apply.
Stretching the term lowers the monthly payment but raises the total interest you pay, so the smallest payment is not automatically the cheapest loan.
Work out the payment you can comfortably carry each month first, then borrow no more than that figure supports.
Indiana lending rules that apply in La Porte
The table lists the Indiana rules that apply to a loan made in La Porte, each with the regulator that published it.
| Rule | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| State lending regulator | Indiana Department of Financial Institutions (DFI), Consumer Credit Division Source says: "The industries regulated by the Consumer Credit Division are: non-depository small loan ("payday") lenders; traditional installment lenders". | Indiana Department of Financial Institutions as of 2026-09-16 |
| Small-loan size limit | $825 maximum aggregate small-loan principal per borrower Source says: "Lenders cannot have loans ... outstanding with you at any one time if the aggregate principal amount/amount financed exceeds $825". | Indiana Department of Financial Institutions as of 2026-09-16 |
| Maximum legal interest rate (usury cap) | See the latest published figure value_text left null: Indiana Code IC 24-4.5-3-508 sets tiered maximum loan finance charges for supervised loans; the official code site renders client-side and the figure could not be confirmed from a fetched page, so no figure is asserted. | Indiana General Assembly (Indiana Code) as of 2026-09-16 |
| Payday lending status | Permitted under license (small loans); finance charges capped at 15% of the first $250 (tiered above) Source says: "Finance charges on the first $250 of a small loan are limited to 15% of the principal". | Indiana Department of Financial Institutions as of 2026-09-16 |
| Small-loan / installment lender licensing | Small Loan License required (IUCCC; separate Consumer Loan License for IC 24-4.5-3 loans) Source says: "unless a person is a supervised financial organization or has first obtained a small loan license from the Department of Financial Institutions (DFI)". | Indiana Department of Financial Institutions as of 2026-09-16 |
How to compare offers in La Porte
The order below is a sensible way to approach a loan in La Porte:
- 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 Indiana using the regulator named above.
- Read the disclosure for origination fees and any prepayment penalty before you sign.