Wood Lake at a glance
- Population: 375 residents, the 551st-largest of 853 places in Minnesota (US Census Bureau, Vintage 2023).
- 2020 Census base: 379 people (US Census Bureau, 2020 Census count).
- 2020 to 2023 change: a loss of about 1.1% since the 2020 count (US Census Bureau).
- Rank among Minnesota places: 551st largest of 853 (US Census Bureau).
- Size percentile: it exceeds roughly 35% of Minnesota's Census places by population (US Census Bureau).
- Coordinates: 44.6513, -95.5358 (Census Gazetteer, US Census Bureau).
- Nearest larger cities: Cottonwood, MN (7 mi); Granite Falls, MN (11 mi); Sacred Heart, MN (13 mi); Clarkfield, MN (16 mi); Marshall, MN (19 mi) (Census populations, approximate straight-line distance).
- Nearest smaller towns: Hanley Falls, MN (5 mi); Echo, MN (6 mi); Belview, MN (11 mi) — US Census Bureau populations.
What a personal loan costs in Wood Lake
A personal loan is an installment loan: you receive a lump sum and repay it in fixed monthly payments over a set term, usually two to seven years.
Compare every quote on APR because it includes the fees the interest rate hides, and check the payment with our personal loan calculator.
A longer repayment period spreads the cost and increases the interest paid, so compare total cost, not just the monthly figure.
Before you borrow, decide what the loan is for and whether the monthly payment fits a budget you can already meet without taking on new debt.
Minnesota lending rules that apply in Wood Lake
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 |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| 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 |
How to compare offers in Wood Lake
Here is a short checklist for comparing personal loans in Wood Lake:
- 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.