Salida at a glance
- Population: 5,900, the 75th-largest community in Colorado out of 270 (US Census Bureau, Vintage 2023).
- 2020 Census base: 5,677 residents at the 2020 Census (US Census Bureau, 2020 count).
- 2020 to 2023 change: a gain of roughly 3.9% between the 2020 count and the 2023 estimate (US Census Bureau).
- Rank among Colorado places: 75th of the state's 270 Census places (US Census Bureau).
- Size percentile: roughly 72% of Colorado's places have fewer residents (US Census Bureau).
- Coordinates: latitude 38.5299, longitude -105.9980 (US Census Bureau Gazetteer).
- Nearest larger cities: Cañon City, CO (42 mi); Gunnison, CO (50 mi); Woodland Park, CO (60 mi); Aspen, CO (64 mi); Colorado Springs, CO (71 mi) — straight-line distances, US Census Bureau populations.
- Nearest smaller places: Poncha Springs, CO (4 mi); Buena Vista, CO (22 mi); Pitkin, CO (28 mi) (US Census Bureau estimates).
What a personal loan costs in Salida
A personal loan gives you the full amount at once and spreads repayment over a set number of months at a fixed payment.
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.
Stretching the term lowers the monthly payment but raises the total interest you pay, so the smallest payment is not automatically the cheapest loan.
Most lenders offer pre-qualification with a soft credit pull, so you can see an estimated rate and amount without affecting your credit score.
Colorado lending rules that apply in Salida
Each row below is a Colorado rule with its publisher and the date it was retrieved.
| Rule | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Payday lending status | Permitted but capped at 36% APR (Proposition 111, effective February 1, 2019) Source says: "a finance charge for each deferred deposit loan or payday loan that must not exceed an annual percentage rate of thirty-six percent". | Colorado General Assembly — C.R.S. § 5-3.1-105 (Deferred Deposit Loan Act) as of 2026-09-16 |
| Small-loan / installment lender licensing | Supervised lender license required from the UCCC Administrator (master license required for more than one place of business); deferred deposit lenders must hold a supervised lender's license Source says: "if a supervised lender has more than one place of business, they must obtain a master license"; "no person shall engage in the business of deferred deposit loans without having first obtained a supervised lender's license" (C.R.S. § 5-3.1-116). | Colorado Attorney General — Uniform Consumer Credit Code licensing as of 2026-09-16 |
| State lending regulator | Colorado Attorney General's Office — Consumer Credit Unit (Administrator of the Uniform Consumer Credit Code) Source says: "The Consumer Credit Unit regulates (through licensure/registration programs) companies and individuals involved in consumer lending"; it "licenses non-bank lenders such as finance companies and payday lenders". | Colorado Attorney General — Consumer Protection Section as of 2026-09-16 |
| Maximum legal interest rate (usury cap) | UCCC finance-charge ceilings: 12% per year on non-supervised consumer loans; supervised loans 36% on the first $1,000, 21% on $1,000–$3,000, 15% above $3,000 (or 21% flat); 21% on revolving accounts Source says: "not exceeding twelve percent per year on the unpaid balance of the amount financed"; "Thirty-six percent per year on that part of the unpaid balances of the amount financed that is one thousand dollars or less"; "Twenty-one percent per year on the unpaid balances of the amount financed". | Colorado General Assembly — C.R.S. § 5-2-201 (Colorado Revised Statutes 2024, Title 5) as of 2026-09-16 |
How to compare offers in Salida
The steps below are worth completing first when you borrow in Salida:
- 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 Colorado using the regulator named above.
- Read the disclosure for origination fees and any prepayment penalty before you sign.