Telluride at a glance
- Population: about 2,525, 105th by size in Colorado of 270 places (Census Vintage 2023 subcounty estimate).
- 2020 Census base: 2,630 people counted in the 2020 Census (US Census Bureau).
- 2020 to 2023 change: about 4.0% lower than the 2020 Census base (US Census Bureau).
- Rank among Colorado places: 105th by size among 270 communities (US Census Bureau).
- Size percentile: larger than about 61% of the Census places in Colorado (US Census Bureau).
- Coordinates: latitude 37.9402, longitude -107.8182 (US Census Bureau Gazetteer).
- Nearest larger cities within 120 miles: Montrose, CO (37 mi); Durango, CO (47 mi); Bayfield, CO (50 mi); Cortez, CO (58 mi); Delta, CO (58 mi) (US Census Bureau).
- Nearest smaller towns: Mountain Village, CO (2 mi); Ophir, CO (6 mi); Ouray, CO (10 mi) (US Census Bureau).
What a personal loan costs in Telluride
With an installment loan the payment is fixed for the life of the loan, so the schedule is predictable from the first month to the last.
The number to compare is the APR, not the interest rate, because the APR folds in origination fees and other charges; our personal loan calculator will show what a given amount and term would cost.
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.
A payment that strains the budget is a warning sign; a smaller loan or a little more saving time is the safer route.
Colorado lending rules that apply in Telluride
The table carries the Colorado rate and licensing rules that apply to consumer loans made in Telluride.
| Rule | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| 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 |
How to compare offers in Telluride
A few practical steps will make the process in Telluride less costly:
- 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.