Prairie Home at a glance
- Population: 263 (US Census Bureau, Vintage 2023 subcounty estimate), the 599th-largest of 937 places in Missouri.
- 2020 Census base: 262 people counted in the 2020 Census (US Census Bureau).
- 2020 to 2023 change: a gain of roughly 0.4% between the 2020 count and the 2023 estimate (US Census Bureau).
- Rank among Missouri places: 599th in population of 937 places (US Census Bureau).
- Size percentile: roughly 36% of places in Missouri rank below it by population (US Census Bureau).
- Coordinates: 38.8144, -92.5906 (US Census Bureau Gazetteer).
- Nearest larger cities: Jamestown, MO (7 mi); Windsor Place, MO (10 mi); Bunceton, MO (11 mi); California, MO (13 mi); Boonville, MO (13 mi) (Census populations, approximate straight-line distance).
- Smaller places nearby: Wooldridge, MO (7 mi); Lupus, MO (8 mi); McBaine, MO (9 mi), per US Census Bureau estimates.
What a personal loan costs in Prairie Home
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.
Choosing a longer term eases the monthly budget but adds interest over the life of the loan; a shorter term costs more per month and less overall.
Before you borrow, decide what the loan is for and whether the monthly payment fits a budget you can already meet without taking on new debt.
Missouri lending rules that apply in Prairie Home
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 — unsecured loans of $500 or less require a license from the Director of the Division of Finance (RSMo § 408.500) Source says: "in the business of making unsecured loans of five hundred dollars or less shall obtain a license from the director of the division of finance" | Missouri Revisor of Statutes as of 2026-09-16 |
| Small-loan / installment lender licensing | Consumer credit lenders licensed and regulated by the Division of Finance's consumer credit section (Chapters 367 and 408, RSMo) Source says: "The consumer credit section of the Missouri Division of Finance is responsible for licensing and regulating various types of consumer finance companies" | Missouri Division of Finance as of 2026-09-16 |
| State lending regulator | Missouri Division of Finance (Department of Commerce and Insurance) Source says: "We regulate state-chartered banks, trust companies, consumer credit facilities, mortgage brokers, and savings and loan institutions" | Missouri Division of Finance as of 2026-09-16 |
| Additional loan fee cap (30+ day loans) | Up to 10% of principal, capped at $100 (RSMo § 408.140) Source says: "a fee, not to exceed ten percent of the principal amount loaned not to exceed one hundred dollars may be charged by the lender" | Missouri Revisor of Statutes as of 2026-09-16 |
| Maximum legal interest rate (usury cap) | 10% per annum, or the higher published 'market rate' (RSMo § 408.030) Source says: "a rate of interest not exceeding ten percent per annum on money due or to become due upon any contract" | Missouri Revisor of Statutes as of 2026-09-16 |
How to compare offers in Prairie Home
A few practical steps will make the process in Prairie Home less costly:
- 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 Missouri using the regulator named above.
- Read the disclosure for origination fees and any prepayment penalty before you sign.