Wadena at a glance
- Population: roughly 4,331 people; 167th of 853 places in Minnesota (Census Vintage 2023 subcounty estimate).
- 2020 Census base: 4,331 residents (US Census Bureau, 2020 Census).
- 2020 to 2023 change: under a tenth of a percent either way (US Census Bureau Vintage 2023 estimate).
- Rank among Minnesota places: the 167th-largest of 853 (US Census Bureau, 2023 estimate).
- Size percentile: roughly 80% of Minnesota's places have fewer residents (US Census Bureau).
- Coordinates: mapped at 46.4472, -95.1267 by the US Census Bureau Gazetteer.
- Nearest larger cities: Baxter, MN (41 mi); Alexandria, MN (41 mi); Detroit Lakes, MN (42 mi); Brainerd, MN (45 mi); Fergus Falls, MN (47 mi) (Census populations, approximate straight-line distance).
- Nearest smaller towns: Bluffton, MN (5 mi); Verndale, MN (6 mi); Hewitt, MN (9 mi) — US Census Bureau populations.
What a personal loan costs in Wadena
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.
A longer repayment period spreads the cost and increases the interest paid, so compare total cost, not just the monthly figure.
Work out the payment you can comfortably carry each month first, then borrow no more than that figure supports.
Minnesota lending rules that apply in Wadena
Every figure in the table below is sourced to a publisher with a date; where a state does not publish a number, we say so rather than estimate.
| Rule | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| 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 |
How to compare offers in Wadena
These steps are the ones that most affect the offer you receive in Wadena:
- 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.