Thief River Falls at a glance
- Population: 8,821 residents, the 112th-largest of 853 places in Minnesota (US Census Bureau, Vintage 2023).
- 2020 Census base: 8,863 people at the 2020 Census, the baseline for the trend below (US Census Bureau).
- 2020 to 2023 change: down roughly 0.5% across the 2020-to-2023 comparison (US Census Bureau).
- Rank among Minnesota places: 112th of the state's 853 Census places (US Census Bureau).
- Size percentile: roughly 87% of places in Minnesota rank below it by population (US Census Bureau).
- Coordinates: 48.1112 / -96.1776, per the US Census Bureau Gazetteer.
- Nearest larger cities: East Grand Forks, MN (41 mi); Grand Forks, ND (44 mi); Bemidji, MN (74 mi); Moorhead, MN (90 mi); Fargo, ND (91 mi); US Census Bureau population estimates.
- Smaller places close by: St. Hilaire, MN (7 mi); Holt, MN (13 mi); Viking, MN (13 mi) (US Census Bureau).
What a personal loan costs in Thief River Falls
A personal loan is structured as an installment plan, with a set number of monthly payments and a fixed amount due each time.
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.
A payment that strains the budget is a warning sign; a smaller loan or a little more saving time is the safer route.
Minnesota lending rules that apply in Thief River Falls
The table carries the Minnesota rate and licensing rules that apply to consumer loans made in Thief River Falls.
| Rule | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Payday ability-to-repay requirement | Required for payday loans with an APR above 36% (Minn. Stat. § 47.603) Source says: "This section applies to all payday loans with an annual percentage rate that exceeds 36 percent." | Minnesota Legislature, Office of the Revisor of Statutes as of 2026-09-16 |
| Maximum legal interest rate (usury cap) | 6% per year legal rate of interest; a different rate may be contracted for in writing (Minn. Stat. § 334.01) Source says: "The interest for any legal indebtedness shall be at the rate of $6 upon $100 for a year" | Minnesota Legislature, Office of the Revisor of Statutes as of 2026-09-16 |
| Payday lending status | Legal and licensed; APR capped at 36%, or up to 50% with an ability-to-repay analysis (Minn. Stat. §§ 47.60, 47.601, 47.603) Source says: "The cap on that annual percentage rate is set at either 36%, or up to 50% if the lender conducts an ability to repay analysis" | Minnesota Department of Commerce as of 2026-09-16 |
| Small-loan / installment lender licensing | Regulated loan license required from the commissioner for loans within the Chapter 56 threshold (Minn. Stat. § 56.01) Source says: "without first obtaining a license from the commissioner, no person shall engage in the business of making loans of money" | Minnesota Legislature, Office of the Revisor of Statutes as of 2026-09-16 |
| State lending regulator | Minnesota Department of Commerce (commissioner of commerce) Source says: ""Commissioner" means the commissioner of commerce" | Minnesota Legislature, Office of the Revisor of Statutes as of 2026-09-16 |
How to compare offers in Thief River Falls
Before you share your details with a lender in Thief River Falls:
- 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 Minnesota using the regulator named above.
- Read the disclosure for origination fees and any prepayment penalty before you sign.