Ridgeway at a glance
- Population: the Census estimates 663 residents, ranking 435th of 605 places in Wisconsin (Vintage 2023).
- 2020 Census base: 628 people at the 2020 Census, the baseline for the trend below (US Census Bureau).
- 2020 to 2023 change: roughly 5.6% higher than at the 2020 Census (US Census Bureau).
- Rank among Wisconsin places: 435th by size among 605 communities (US Census Bureau).
- Size percentile: about 28% of places in Wisconsin are smaller (US Census Bureau).
- Coordinates: 42.9984, -89.9926 (US Census Bureau Gazetteer).
- Nearest larger cities: Barneveld, WI (5 mi); Dodgeville, WI (7 mi); Blue Mounds, WI (8 mi); Arena, WI (12 mi); Spring Green, WI (13 mi), each a US Census place with its estimated population.
- Smaller places nearby: Hollandale, WI (9 mi); Linden, WI (15 mi); Cobb, WI (17 mi), per US Census Bureau estimates.
What a personal loan costs in Ridgeway
The defining feature of a personal loan is the fixed installment: the same payment every month until the term ends.
Compare offers on APR rather than the headline rate — the APR includes most fees, and you can model the total with our personal loan calculator.
Your credit, income and existing debts drive the rate a lender offers, while the term you pick sets how much interest builds on top.
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.
Wisconsin lending rules that apply in Ridgeway
Each row below is a Wisconsin rule with its publisher and the date it was retrieved.
| Rule | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| 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 |
How to compare offers in Ridgeway
These steps are the ones that most affect the offer you receive in Ridgeway:
- 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.