Waynesville at a glance
- Population: 5,455 (US Census Bureau, Vintage 2023 subcounty estimate), the 126th-largest of 937 places in Missouri.
- 2020 Census base: 5,421 people (US Census Bureau, 2020 Census count).
- 2020 to 2023 change: up roughly 0.6% across the 2020-to-2023 comparison (US Census Bureau).
- Rank among Missouri places: 126th by size among 937 communities (US Census Bureau).
- Size percentile: roughly 87% of places in Missouri rank below it by population (US Census Bureau).
- Coordinates: latitude 37.8194, longitude -92.2193 (US Census Bureau Gazetteer).
- Nearest larger cities within 120 miles: St. Robert, MO (4 mi); Lebanon, MO (26 mi); Rolla, MO (26 mi); Marshfield, MO (50 mi); Jefferson City, MO (52 mi) (US Census Bureau).
- Smaller towns nearby: Crocker, MO (9 mi); Richland, MO (10 mi); Dixon, MO (14 mi) (US Census Bureau).
What a personal loan costs in Waynesville
The defining feature of a personal loan is the fixed installment: the same payment every month until the term ends.
The APR is the comparable price of a loan since it folds in fees; model any offer with the personal loan calculator first.
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.
Pre-qualification is a good first filter: it shows the rate and amount a lender may offer before you agree to a full application and a hard inquiry.
Missouri lending rules that apply in Waynesville
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 | Consumer credit lenders licensed and regulated by the Division of Finance's consumer credit section (Chapters 367 and 408, RSMo) Source says: "The consumer credit section of the Missouri Division of Finance is responsible for licensing and regulating various types of consumer finance companies" | Missouri Division of Finance as of 2026-09-16 |
| State lending regulator | Missouri Division of Finance (Department of Commerce and Insurance) Source says: "We regulate state-chartered banks, trust companies, consumer credit facilities, mortgage brokers, and savings and loan institutions" | Missouri Division of Finance as of 2026-09-16 |
| Additional loan fee cap (30+ day loans) | Up to 10% of principal, capped at $100 (RSMo § 408.140) Source says: "a fee, not to exceed ten percent of the principal amount loaned not to exceed one hundred dollars may be charged by the lender" | Missouri Revisor of Statutes as of 2026-09-16 |
| Maximum legal interest rate (usury cap) | 10% per annum, or the higher published 'market rate' (RSMo § 408.030) Source says: "a rate of interest not exceeding ten percent per annum on money due or to become due upon any contract" | Missouri Revisor of Statutes as of 2026-09-16 |
| Payday lending status | Legal and licensed — unsecured loans of $500 or less require a license from the Director of the Division of Finance (RSMo § 408.500) Source says: "in the business of making unsecured loans of five hundred dollars or less shall obtain a license from the director of the division of finance" | Missouri Revisor of Statutes as of 2026-09-16 |
How to compare offers in Waynesville
These steps are the ones that most affect the offer you receive in Waynesville:
- 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 Missouri using the regulator named above.
- Read the disclosure for origination fees and any prepayment penalty before you sign.