Wood Heights at a glance
- Population: 754 residents, the 386th-largest of 937 places in Missouri (US Census Bureau, Vintage 2023).
- 2020 Census base: 754 people counted in the 2020 Census (US Census Bureau).
- 2020 to 2023 change: little measurable change between the 2020 count and the 2023 estimate (US Census Bureau).
- Rank among Missouri places: 386th by size among 937 communities (US Census Bureau).
- Size percentile: about 59% of Missouri's Census places are smaller (US Census Bureau).
- Coordinates: latitude 39.3417, longitude -94.1630 (US Census Bureau Gazetteer).
- Nearest larger cities within 120 miles: Excelsior Springs, MO (4 mi); Lawson, MO (7 mi); Kearney, MO (10 mi); Richmond, MO (11 mi); Buckner, MO (15 mi) (US Census Bureau).
- Nearest smaller towns: Crystal Lakes, MO (2 mi); Homestead, MO (2 mi); Excelsior Estates, MO (4 mi) (US Census Bureau).
What a personal loan costs in Wood Heights
A personal loan gives you the full amount at once and spreads repayment over a set number of months at a fixed payment.
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 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.
Missouri lending rules that apply in Wood Heights
The Missouri rate caps and licensing rules that reach Wood Heights are listed below, each with its source and retrieval date.
| Rule | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| 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 |
How to compare offers in Wood Heights
The steps below are worth completing first when you borrow in Wood Heights:
- 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.