Personal loans in Clarksville, IA
Personal loans in Clarksville, Iowa are mostly unsecured, so the APR you see reflects how a lender reads your credit. At about 1,243 residents, Clarksville is bigger than roughly 75% of the places in Iowa. A 2020-to-2023 comparison shows Clarksville down by about 1.5%. Consumer lending in Iowa is governed by state statute; no city ordinance changes it. Begin with the payment, then weigh APR and total interest across lenders. Borrowers who want a bigger city can look to Shell Rock, IA about 6 miles away.
Borrowing in Clarksville: the local picture
Clarksville is a small community; the notes below cover its population profile and the statewide rules that apply.
- Population: about 1,243, ranked 235th of 940 places in Iowa (Census Vintage 2023 subcounty estimate).
- Population trend: A decline of about 1.5% across the 2020-to-2023 comparison.
- Size percentile: it is larger than about 75% of Iowa's Census places.
- Location: it lies at 42.7792, -92.6684 in the Census Gazetteer.
- Nearest larger cities: Shell Rock (6 mi); Waverly (11 mi); Nashua (13 mi); Parkersburg (15 mi); Denver (19 mi). Living near a larger metro rarely changes what is available in Clarksville.
- Nearest smaller towns: Allison (7 mi); Plainfield (8 mi); Greene (11 mi) — useful context for the surrounding area.
What Iowa law requires in Clarksville
Every row below records a Iowa rule, its publisher and its retrieval date.
| Rule | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Small-loan / installment lender licensing | Regulated Loan Act license required (superintendent of banking) Source says: "shall not engage in the business of making loans ... without first obtaining a license from the superintendent of banking". | Iowa Legislature (Iowa Code) as of 2026-09-16 |
| State lending regulator | Iowa Division of Banking (IDOB), Iowa Department of Insurance and Financial Services Source says: "As part of the 2023 state government realignment, the IDOB became part of a new Department of Insurance and Financial Services". | Iowa Division of Banking as of 2026-09-16 |
| Delayed deposit fee cap | Fee cap: $15 on first $100 of check face amount; $10 on subsequent $100 increments Source says: "fifteen dollars on the first one hundred dollars ... or more than ten dollars on subsequent one hundred dollar increments". | Iowa Legislature (Iowa Code) as of 2026-09-16 |
| Maximum legal interest rate (usury cap) | 2 percentage points above the monthly average 10-year U.S. Treasury constant maturity rate (written agreements) Source says: "The maximum lawful rate of interest ... in any written agreement ... shall be two percentage points above the monthly average ten-year constant maturity interest rate". | Iowa Legislature (Iowa Code) as of 2026-09-16 |
| Payday lending status | Permitted under license (delayed deposit services; must be physically located in Iowa) Source says: "A person shall not operate a delayed deposit services business in this state unless the person is physically located in this state and licensed by the superintendent". | Iowa Legislature (Iowa Code) as of 2026-09-16 |
What a Clarksville personal loan looks like
Most personal loans made to Clarksville residents are unsecured, so no collateral is pledged and the lender leans on your credit history. Compare the APR rather than the interest rate, because origination fees and sometimes prepayment penalties are folded into it. Deal only with a lender licensed in Iowa, which you can check with the regulator named below.
A pre-application checklist for Clarksville
Before you sign anything in Clarksville, run through this list:
- Order your free credit reports and dispute anything inaccurate — it is the cheapest way to move the rate you are offered.
- Price the payment first with our personal loan calculator before any lender quotes you.
- Pre-qualify with three or more lenders, then compare the APR rather than the interest rate.
- Confirm the lender holds a Iowa licence by checking the regulator named above.
- Write down the purpose of the loan and your repayment plan before you apply.
Common questions
What are my options in Clarksville if my credit is poor?
What loan size can I expect in Clarksville?
Do I have to pledge anything to borrow in Clarksville?
Does comparing loans in Clarksville cost me credit score points?
Nearby places
- Shell Rock, IA — population 1,272
- Allison, IA — population 942
- Plainfield, IA — population 394
- Greene, IA — population 977
- Waverly, IA — population 10,561
- Nashua, IA — population 1,503
- New Hartford, IA — population 556
- Parkersburg, IA — population 1,983