Sergeant Bluff at a glance
- Population: the Census estimates 5,274 residents, ranking 81st of 940 places in Iowa (Vintage 2023).
- 2020 Census base: the 2020 Census recorded 5,014 residents here (US Census Bureau).
- 2020 to 2023 change: a gain of roughly 5.2% between the 2020 count and the 2023 estimate (US Census Bureau).
- Rank among Iowa places: 81st out of 940 Census places (US Census Bureau).
- Size percentile: about 91% of places in Iowa are smaller (US Census Bureau).
- Coordinates: 42.3975 latitude, -96.3509 longitude (US Census Bureau Gazetteer).
- Nearest larger cities: South Sioux City, NE (5 mi); Sioux City, IA (7 mi); Le Mars, IA (28 mi); Wayne, NE (35 mi); Vermillion, SD (39 mi); US Census Bureau population estimates.
- Nearest smaller communities: Dakota City, NE (4 mi); Salix, IA (7 mi); Bronson, IA (7 mi), each a US Census place.
What a personal loan costs in Sergeant Bluff
A personal loan gives you the full amount at once and spreads repayment over a set number of months at a fixed payment.
Two loans can share an interest rate and still differ in APR once fees are counted, so compare APR; our personal loan calculator shows the difference over the full term.
Stretching the term lowers the monthly payment but raises the total interest you pay, so the smallest payment is not automatically the cheapest loan.
If you are consolidating debt, the loan only helps if you stop adding to the balances it clears; otherwise the total debt grows.
Iowa lending rules that apply in Sergeant Bluff
Where a figure is not published by the state, the row points to the source instead of guessing.
| Rule | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Payday lending status | Permitted under license (delayed deposit services; must be physically located in Iowa) Source says: "A person shall not operate a delayed deposit services business in this state unless the person is physically located in this state and licensed by the superintendent". | Iowa Legislature (Iowa Code) as of 2026-09-16 |
| Small-loan / installment lender licensing | Regulated Loan Act license required (superintendent of banking) Source says: "shall not engage in the business of making loans ... without first obtaining a license from the superintendent of banking". | Iowa Legislature (Iowa Code) as of 2026-09-16 |
| State lending regulator | Iowa Division of Banking (IDOB), Iowa Department of Insurance and Financial Services Source says: "As part of the 2023 state government realignment, the IDOB became part of a new Department of Insurance and Financial Services". | Iowa Division of Banking as of 2026-09-16 |
| Delayed deposit fee cap | Fee cap: $15 on first $100 of check face amount; $10 on subsequent $100 increments Source says: "fifteen dollars on the first one hundred dollars ... or more than ten dollars on subsequent one hundred dollar increments". | Iowa Legislature (Iowa Code) as of 2026-09-16 |
| Maximum legal interest rate (usury cap) | 2 percentage points above the monthly average 10-year U.S. Treasury constant maturity rate (written agreements) Source says: "The maximum lawful rate of interest ... in any written agreement ... shall be two percentage points above the monthly average ten-year constant maturity interest rate". | Iowa Legislature (Iowa Code) as of 2026-09-16 |
How to compare offers in Sergeant Bluff
These steps are the ones that most affect the offer you receive in Sergeant Bluff:
- 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 Iowa using the regulator named above.
- Read the disclosure for origination fees and any prepayment penalty before you sign.