Wells at a glance
- Population: 1,244 — 18th in Nevada, which has 19 Census places (US Census Bureau, Vintage 2023).
- 2020 Census base: 1,242 residents in the 2020 Census, per the US Census Bureau.
- 2020 to 2023 change: up roughly 0.2% across the 2020-to-2023 comparison (US Census Bureau).
- Rank among Nevada places: 18th of the state's 19 Census places (US Census Bureau).
- Size percentile: it is larger than about 5% of the places in Nevada (US Census Bureau).
- Coordinates: mapped at 41.1132, -114.9535 by the US Census Bureau Gazetteer.
- Nearest larger cities: Elko, NV (47 mi); West Wendover, NV (52 mi); Carlin, NV (66 mi); Filer, ID (102 mi); Kimberly, ID (103 mi), each a US Census place with its estimated population.
- Smaller places nearby: Wendover, UT (55 mi); Hollister, ID (88 mi); Oakley, ID (96 mi), per US Census Bureau estimates.
What a personal loan costs in Wells
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 term is the lever: extend it and the payment falls while total interest climbs; shorten it and the reverse happens.
A useful rule is to keep the new payment inside the room your budget already has, so the loan eases pressure instead of adding to it.
Nevada lending rules that apply in Wells
Where a figure is not published by the state, the row points to the source instead of guessing.
| Rule | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Maximum legal interest rate (usury cap) | No cap on agreed rates (NRS 99.050); absent a written contract, legal rate = prime rate + 2% (NRS 99.040) Source says: "parties may agree for the payment of any rate of interest on money due or to become due on any contract" | Nevada Legislature (Nevada Revised Statutes) as of 2026-09-16 |
| Payday lending status | Legal; deferred deposit loan services must be licensed under NRS 604A Source says: "shall not operate a check-cashing service, deferred deposit loan service, high-interest loan service or title loan service unless the person is licensed with the Commissioner" | Nevada Legislature (Nevada Revised Statutes) as of 2026-09-16 |
| Small-loan / installment lender licensing | Installment loan business requires a license from the Commissioner (NRS 675.060) Source says: "No person may engage in the business of lending in this State without first having obtained a license from the Commissioner pursuant to this chapter" | Nevada Legislature (Nevada Revised Statutes) as of 2026-09-16 |
| State lending regulator | Nevada Financial Institutions Division (FID), Department of Business and Industry Source says: "Protects Nevada consumers and strengthens our state's economy by licensing, examining, and supervising banks, credit unions, money transmitters, and related financial services." | Nevada Financial Institutions Division (Department of Business and Industry) as of 2026-09-16 |
| Legal rate when no written contract (NRS 99.040) | Prime rate at the largest Nevada bank + 2% (prime rate 6.75% as of July 1, 2026) Source says: "interest must be allowed at a rate equal to the prime rate at the largest bank in Nevada ... plus 2 percent" | Nevada Financial Institutions Division (Department of Business and Industry) as of 2026-09-16 |
How to compare offers in Wells
These steps are the ones that most affect the offer you receive in Wells:
- 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 Nevada using the regulator named above.
- Read the disclosure for origination fees and any prepayment penalty before you sign.