New Meadows at a glance
- Population: a Census-estimated 636, placing it 113th among Idaho's 197 places (Vintage 2023 subcounty estimate).
- 2020 Census base: 516 residents at the 2020 Census (US Census Bureau, 2020 count).
- 2020 to 2023 change: an increase of about 23.3% since the 2020 count (US Census Bureau).
- Rank among Idaho places: 113th by size among 197 communities (US Census Bureau).
- Size percentile: about 43% of places in Idaho are smaller (US Census Bureau).
- Coordinates: 44.9713, -116.2852 (Census Gazetteer, US Census Bureau).
- Nearest larger cities: McCall, ID (9 mi); Council, ID (18 mi); Cascade, ID (34 mi); Joseph, OR (53 mi); Enterprise, OR (58 mi); each population is a US Census Bureau estimate.
- Smaller towns nearby: Donnelly, ID (19 mi); Riggins, ID (31 mi); Cambridge, ID (34 mi) (US Census Bureau).
What a personal loan costs in New Meadows
A personal loan hands you a single sum and a repayment schedule of equal monthly installments over an agreed term.
The APR is the comparable price of a loan since it folds in fees; model any offer with the personal loan calculator first.
A lender weighs your credit profile, income and debts when setting the rate, and a longer term lowers the payment at the cost of more interest overall.
If you are consolidating debt, the loan only helps if you stop adding to the balances it clears; otherwise the total debt grows.
Idaho lending rules that apply in New Meadows
Each row below is a Idaho rule with its publisher and the date it was retrieved.
| Rule | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Idaho Credit Code finance-charge rule | No statutory maximum finance-charge rate — rate as agreed by the parties (Idaho Credit Code) Source says: "the rate of finance charge shall be that which is agreed upon between the parties to the transaction". | Idaho State Legislature as of 2026-09-16 |
| Maximum legal interest rate (usury cap) | 12% per annum legal rate (when no written contract fixes a different rate) Source says: "interest is allowed at the rate of twelve cents (12¢) on the hundred by the year". | Idaho State Legislature as of 2026-09-16 |
| Payday lending status | Permitted under license (payday loan license required) Source says: "No person shall engage in the business of payday loans ... without having first obtained a license under this chapter". | Idaho State Legislature as of 2026-09-16 |
| Small-loan / installment lender licensing | Regulated Lenders License required (regulated consumer loans) Source says: "unless a person is exempt ... he shall not engage in the business of: (a) Making regulated consumer loans". | Idaho State Legislature as of 2026-09-16 |
| State lending regulator | Idaho Department of Finance (IDOF) Source says: "Safeguarding the financial health of Idahoans through the appropriate oversight of diverse financial institutions, the education and protection of consumers". | Idaho Department of Finance as of 2026-09-16 |
How to compare offers in New Meadows
The steps below are worth completing first when you borrow in New Meadows:
- 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 Idaho using the regulator named above.
- Read the disclosure for origination fees and any prepayment penalty before you sign.