Stanhope at a glance
- Population: the Census estimates 353 residents, ranking 527th of 940 places in Iowa (Vintage 2023).
- 2020 Census base: 364 residents in the 2020 Census, per the US Census Bureau.
- 2020 to 2023 change: roughly 3.0% fewer residents than at the 2020 Census (US Census Bureau).
- Rank among Iowa places: 527th-largest of 940 (US Census Bureau, Vintage 2023 estimate).
- Size percentile: ahead of around 44% of Iowa places in population terms (US Census Bureau).
- Coordinates: it sits at 42.2889, -93.7960 in the US Census Bureau Gazetteer.
- Nearest larger cities: Stratford, IA (7 mi); Jewell Junction, IA (8 mi); Ellsworth, IA (11 mi); Webster City, IA (12 mi); Story City, IA (13 mi) (Census populations, approximate straight-line distance).
- Nearest smaller towns: Kamrar, IA (8 mi); Randall, IA (11 mi); Fraser, IA (14 mi) — US Census Bureau populations.
What a personal loan costs in Stanhope
Most personal loans are unsecured, meaning no collateral is pledged, and they are repaid in equal installments over a fixed term.
Because the APR includes origination and finance charges, it is the honest comparison number; the personal loan calculator turns an APR and term into a monthly payment.
The term is the lever: extend it and the payment falls while total interest climbs; shorten it and the reverse happens.
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.
Iowa lending rules that apply in Stanhope
The sourced rows below are the rules a licensed lender must follow when lending in Iowa, and therefore in Stanhope.
| Rule | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| 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 |
How to compare offers in Stanhope
These steps are the ones that most affect the offer you receive in Stanhope:
- 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.