Sterling at a glance
- Population: a Census-estimated 12,954, placing it 46th among Colorado's 270 places (Vintage 2023 subcounty estimate).
- 2020 Census base: the 2020 Census recorded 13,741 residents here (US Census Bureau).
- 2020 to 2023 change: roughly 5.7% fewer residents than at the 2020 Census (US Census Bureau).
- Rank among Colorado places: 46th-largest of 270 (US Census Bureau, Vintage 2023 estimate).
- Size percentile: roughly 83% of Colorado's places have fewer residents (US Census Bureau).
- Coordinates: mapped at 40.6205, -103.1926 by the US Census Bureau Gazetteer.
- Nearest larger cities: Evans, CO (84 mi); Greeley, CO (84 mi); Scottsbluff, NE (90 mi); Cheyenne, WY (91 mi); Windsor, CO (91 mi) — straight-line distances, US Census Bureau populations.
- Nearest smaller towns: Iliff, CO (12 mi); Merino, CO (13 mi); Fleming, CO (19 mi) (US Census Bureau).
What a personal loan costs in Sterling
A personal loan is an installment loan: you receive a lump sum and repay it in fixed monthly payments over a set term, usually two to seven years.
APR, not the simple interest rate, reflects what the loan actually costs once fees are included; the personal loan calculator puts a figure on it.
Lenders weigh your credit history, income and debts when they set the rate, and the term you choose then determines how that rate compounds into total cost.
Pre-qualifying with several lenders takes minutes, uses a soft pull, and gives you real numbers to compare before any hard inquiry.
Colorado lending rules that apply in Sterling
The Colorado rate caps and licensing rules that reach Sterling are listed below, each with its source and retrieval date.
| 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 Sterling
Run through this list before signing anything in Sterling:
- 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.