Melrose at a glance
- Population: 531, the 468th-largest community in Wisconsin out of 605 (US Census Bureau, Vintage 2023).
- 2020 Census base: 546 residents in the 2020 Census, per the US Census Bureau.
- 2020 to 2023 change: population fell about 2.7% (US Census Bureau Vintage 2023 estimate vs 2020 Census).
- Rank among Wisconsin places: 468th of the state's 605 Census places (US Census Bureau).
- Size percentile: larger than about 23% of the Census places in Wisconsin (US Census Bureau).
- Coordinates: mapped at 44.1312, -90.9969 by the US Census Bureau Gazetteer.
- Nearest larger cities: Black River Falls, WI (14 mi); Rockland, WI (16 mi); Sparta, WI (16 mi); Bangor, WI (16 mi); West Salem, WI (17 mi), each a US Census place with its estimated population.
- Nearest smaller towns: Ettrick, WI (14 mi); Taylor, WI (15 mi); Hixton, WI (17 mi) — US Census Bureau populations.
What a personal loan costs in Melrose
Most personal loans are unsecured, meaning no collateral is pledged, and they are repaid in equal installments over a fixed term.
Compare every quote on APR because it includes the fees the interest rate hides, and check the payment with our personal loan calculator.
The offer you receive reflects the lender's read of your credit, income and debts, and the term controls the balance between payment size and total interest.
If you are consolidating debt, the loan only helps if you stop adding to the balances it clears; otherwise the total debt grows.
Wisconsin lending rules that apply in Melrose
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Payday lending status | Legal and licensed by the DFI Division of Banking; statewide database tracking (Wis. Stat. § 138.14) Source says: "Licensee" means a person holding a license issued by the division under sub. (5) | Wisconsin State Legislature as of 2026-09-16 |
| Small-loan / installment lender licensing | Licensed lender license required from the Division of Banking (Wis. Stat. § 138.09) Source says: Before any person may do business under this section, that person shall first obtain a license from the division. | Wisconsin State Legislature as of 2026-09-16 |
| State lending regulator | Wisconsin Department of Financial Institutions (DFI), Division of Banking Source says: "Department" means the department of financial institutions | Wisconsin State Legislature as of 2026-09-16 |
| Maximum legal interest rate (usury cap) | 12% per year maximum ($12 per $100) on the declining principal balance, except as authorized by other statutes (Wis. Stat. § 138.05(1)(a)) Source says: At the rate of $12 upon $100 for one year computed upon the declining principal balance of the loan or forbearance | Wisconsin State Legislature as of 2026-09-16 |
How to compare offers in Melrose
Before you share your details with a lender in Melrose:
- 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 Wisconsin using the regulator named above.
- Read the disclosure for origination fees and any prepayment penalty before you sign.