Wakefield at a glance
- Population: about 1,681 residents, ranking 280th of 533 Census places in Michigan (US Census Bureau, Vintage 2023 subcounty estimate).
- 2020 Census base: 1,704 people at the 2020 Census, the baseline for the trend below (US Census Bureau).
- 2020 to 2023 change: roughly 1.3% fewer residents than at the 2020 Census (US Census Bureau).
- Rank among Michigan places: the 280th-largest of 533 (US Census Bureau, 2023 estimate).
- Size percentile: larger than about 47% of the Census places in Michigan (US Census Bureau).
- Coordinates: mapped at 46.4769, -89.9334 by the US Census Bureau Gazetteer.
- Nearest larger cities: Bessemer, MI (6 mi); Ironwood, MI (10 mi); Park Falls, WI (45 mi); Ashland, WI (45 mi); Washburn, WI (48 mi); each population is a US Census Bureau estimate.
- Smaller towns nearby: Hurley, WI (13 mi); Montreal, WI (15 mi); Mellen, WI (36 mi) (US Census Bureau).
What a personal loan costs in Wakefield
A personal loan is structured as an installment plan, with a set number of monthly payments and a fixed amount due each time.
Judge an offer by its APR, which blends the interest rate with fees, and use the personal loan calculator to see the total cost.
Stretching the term lowers the monthly payment but raises the total interest you pay, so the smallest payment is not automatically the cheapest loan.
If you are consolidating debt, the loan only helps if you stop adding to the balances it clears; otherwise the total debt grows.
Michigan lending rules that apply in Wakefield
The sourced rows below are the rules a licensed lender must follow when lending in Michigan, and therefore in Wakefield.
| Rule | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| State lending regulator | Michigan Department of Insurance and Financial Services (DIFS) Source says: ""Department" means the department of insurance and financial services" | Michigan Legislature as of 2026-09-16 |
| Regulated lender interest/finance charge cap | 25% per annum (Credit Reform Act, MCL 445.1854(1)) Source says: "may charge, collect, and receive any rate of interest or finance charge for an extension of credit not to exceed 25% per annum" | Michigan Legislature as of 2026-09-16 |
| Maximum legal interest rate (usury cap) | 7% per annum maximum by written agreement; 5% legal rate (MCL 438.31) Source says: "it shall be lawful for the parties to stipulate in writing for the payment of any rate of interest, not exceeding 7% per annum" | Michigan Legislature as of 2026-09-16 |
| Payday lending status | Legal and licensed — deferred presentment service transactions (2005 PA 244; MCL 487.2121 et seq.), licensed and regulated by DIFS Source says: "AN ACT to regulate the business of providing deferred presentment service transactions; to require the licensing of providers of deferred presentment service transactions" | Michigan Legislature as of 2026-09-16 |
| Small-loan / installment lender licensing | License required from the commissioner to make regulated loans (Regulatory Loan Act, MCL 493.1 et seq.) Source says: "a person shall not engage in the business of making loans of money ... without first obtaining a license from the commissioner" | Michigan Legislature as of 2026-09-16 |
How to compare offers in Wakefield
Here is a short checklist for comparing personal loans in Wakefield:
- 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 Michigan using the regulator named above.
- Read the disclosure for origination fees and any prepayment penalty before you sign.