Wabasha at a glance
- Population: 2,592, the 229th-largest community in Minnesota out of 853 (US Census Bureau, Vintage 2023).
- 2020 Census base: 2,555 people at the 2020 Census, the baseline for the trend below (US Census Bureau).
- 2020 to 2023 change: a gain of roughly 1.4% between the 2020 count and the 2023 estimate (US Census Bureau).
- Rank among Minnesota places: 229th out of 853 Census places (US Census Bureau).
- Size percentile: it exceeds roughly 73% of Minnesota's Census places by population (US Census Bureau).
- Coordinates: the Census Gazetteer places it at 44.3711, -92.0457.
- Nearest larger cities: Lake City, MN (13 mi); Plainview, MN (16 mi); Mondovi, WI (23 mi); Goodview, MN (27 mi); St. Charles, MN (28 mi); US Census Bureau population estimates.
- Nearest smaller communities: Nelson, WI (4 mi); Kellogg, MN (5 mi); Alma, WI (7 mi) (Census populations).
What a personal loan costs in Wabasha
Personal loans are installment credit — one lump sum, repaid in equal monthly installments across a fixed term you agree to up front.
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.
The offer you receive reflects the lender's read of your credit, income and debts, and the term controls the balance between payment size and total interest.
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 Wabasha
Each row below is a Minnesota rule with its publisher and the date it was retrieved.
| Rule | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| 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 |
How to compare offers in Wabasha
Run through this list before signing anything in Wabasha:
- 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.