Michigan City at a glance
- Population: 259 residents, the 134th-largest of 355 places in North Dakota (US Census Bureau, Vintage 2023).
- 2020 Census base: 262 people at the 2020 Census, the baseline for the trend below (US Census Bureau).
- 2020 to 2023 change: about 1.1% lower than the 2020 Census base (US Census Bureau).
- Rank among North Dakota places: 134th-largest of 355 (US Census Bureau, Vintage 2023 estimate).
- Size percentile: roughly 62% of places in North Dakota rank below it by population (US Census Bureau).
- Coordinates: mapped at 48.0244, -98.1201 by the US Census Bureau Gazetteer.
- Nearest larger cities: Lakota, ND (11 mi); McVille, ND (18 mi); Larimore, ND (24 mi); Park River, ND (31 mi); Northwood, ND (33 mi); each population is a US Census Bureau estimate.
- Smaller places nearby: Petersburg, ND (6 mi); Niagara, ND (11 mi); Brocket, ND (17 mi), per US Census Bureau estimates.
What a personal loan costs in Michigan City
Most personal loans are unsecured, meaning no collateral is pledged, and they are repaid in equal installments over a fixed term.
APR is the figure that lets you compare like with like, since it wraps fees into the rate; run your own numbers with the personal loan calculator.
Because interest accrues for longer, a longer term means a lower installment and a higher total cost — decide which matters more to you.
A useful rule is to keep the new payment inside the room your budget already has, so the loan eases pressure instead of adding to it.
North Dakota lending rules that apply in Michigan City
Read the table as the compliance picture for a lender serving Michigan City: label, sourced figure, publisher and date.
| Rule | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Maximum legal interest rate (usury cap) | Formula ceiling: 6-month U.S. Treasury bill average + 5.5 percentage points, never less than 7%; NDDFI-published rate for September 2026: 9.204%. Source says: "The rate is equal to five and one-half percent (5.5%) higher than the current cost of money" and "the maximum allowable interest rate ceiling may not be less than seven (7) percent" (NDDFI Usury Rate page; September 2026 rate 9.204%). | North Dakota Department of Financial Institutions as of 2026-09-16 |
| Payday lending status | Legal for licensed deferred presentment service providers; fee capped at 20% of amount advanced; max $500 per transaction; $600 aggregate outstanding per customer. Source says: "A licensee may charge a fee for the deferred presentment service, not to exceed twenty percent of the amount paid to the customer" (N.D.C.C. 13-08-12); "may not disburse more than five hundred dollars to the customer in a deferred presentment service transaction" (13-08-12.3). | North Dakota Legislative Branch as of 2026-09-16 |
| Small-loan / installment lender licensing | Money broker license required to engage in money brokering (arranging/providing loans); issued by the commissioner of financial institutions. Source says: "may not engage in money brokering in the state of North Dakota without a money broker license issued by the commissioner" (N.D.C.C. 13-04.1-02). | North Dakota Legislative Branch as of 2026-09-16 |
| State lending regulator | North Dakota Department of Financial Institutions (NDDFI) Source says: "The Department also licenses and regulates Money Brokers... Deferred Presentment Service Providers (Payday Lenders), Collection Agencies, Debt Settlement Service Providers, and Money Transmitters." | North Dakota Department of Financial Institutions as of 2026-09-16 |
| Usury penalties (state-specific rule) | Usury forfeits all interest plus 25% of principal; charging usurious interest is a class B misdemeanor. Source says: "shall be deemed a forfeiture of the entire interest" and "a forfeiture of twenty-five percent of the principal" (N.D.C.C. 47-14-10); usury is a class B misdemeanor (47-14-11). | North Dakota Legislative Branch as of 2026-09-16 |
How to compare offers in Michigan City
These steps are the ones that most affect the offer you receive in Michigan City:
- 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 North Dakota using the regulator named above.
- Read the disclosure for origination fees and any prepayment penalty before you sign.