Letcher at a glance
- Population: 159, the 191st-largest community in South Dakota out of 309 (US Census Bureau, Vintage 2023).
- 2020 Census base: 153 people counted in the 2020 Census (US Census Bureau).
- 2020 to 2023 change: a gain of roughly 3.9% between the 2020 count and the 2023 estimate (US Census Bureau).
- Rank among South Dakota places: 191st of 309 by population (US Census Bureau, Vintage 2023).
- Size percentile: ahead of around 38% of South Dakota places in population terms (US Census Bureau).
- Coordinates: it sits at 43.9003, -98.1464 in the US Census Bureau Gazetteer.
- Nearest larger cities within 120 miles: Woonsocket, SD (12 mi); Mitchell, SD (13 mi); Mount Vernon, SD (14 mi); Plankinton, SD (21 mi); Alpena, SD (22 mi) (US Census Bureau).
- Nearest smaller towns: Artesian, SD (13 mi); Lane, SD (18 mi); Fulton, SD (20 mi) (US Census Bureau).
What a personal loan costs in Letcher
A personal loan is an installment loan: you receive a lump sum and repay it in fixed monthly payments over a set term, usually two to seven years.
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.
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.
Pre-qualification is a good first filter: it shows the rate and amount a lender may offer before you agree to a full application and a hard inquiry.
South Dakota lending rules that apply in Letcher
Every figure in the table below is sourced to a publisher with a date; where a state does not publish a number, we say so rather than estimate.
| Rule | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Initiated Measure 21 anti-evasion rule (state-specific rule) | Initiated Measure 21 (2016) also bars evasion by indirect means; applies to loans originated, refinanced, rolled over, renewed or flipped after November 15, 2016. Source says: "prohibits these money lenders from evading this rate limitation by indirect means... a loan made in violation of this measure is void" (Division of Banking guidance on Initiated Measure 21). | South Dakota Division of Banking (Department of Labor and Regulation) as of 2026-09-16 |
| Maximum legal interest rate (usury cap) | No general maximum/usury restriction when the rate is set by written agreement; specific caps elsewhere in the code apply (e.g., 36% for licensed money lenders). Source says: "no maximum interest rate or charge, or usury rate restriction... if they establish the interest rate or charge by written agreement" (SDCL 54-3-1.1). | South Dakota Legislature (South Dakota Codified Laws) as of 2026-09-16 |
| Payday lending status | Legal for licensed money lenders (including payday and title lenders) but capped at 36% APR including all fees and charges; violations are a Class 1 misdemeanor and loans are void. Source says: "no licensee may contract for or receive finance charges pursuant to a loan in excess of an annual rate of thirty-six percent" (SDCL 54-4-44); "A violation of this section is a Class 1 misdemeanor. Any loan made in violation of this section is void and uncollectible" (54-4-44). | South Dakota Legislature (South Dakota Codified Laws) as of 2026-09-16 |
| Small-loan / installment lender licensing | Money Lender license (SDCL ch. 54-4) required for anyone lending money or creating/holding/purchasing retail installment contracts; payday and title lenders are licensed as money lenders. Source says: "to be a Money Lender and subject to the licensing requirements of South Dakota Codified Laws (SDCL) Chapter 54-4"; "Payday and title lenders are also licensed as Money Lenders under SDCL Chapter 54-4." | South Dakota Division of Banking (Department of Labor and Regulation) as of 2026-09-16 |
| State lending regulator | South Dakota Division of Banking (Department of Labor and Regulation) Source says: "The Division of Banking is charged with the regulation and supervision of state chartered and licensed financial institutions." | South Dakota Division of Banking (Department of Labor and Regulation) as of 2026-09-16 |
How to compare offers in Letcher
Before you share your details with a lender in Letcher:
- 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 South Dakota using the regulator named above.
- Read the disclosure for origination fees and any prepayment penalty before you sign.