Personal loans in Fairfax, SD
In Fairfax, one of 309 Census places in South Dakota, the figure to compare across lenders is the APR, not the advertised rate. Fairfax is home to roughly 101 people and stands 228th by size out of 309 Census places in South Dakota. For a community of about 101, the practical step is to compare APR across at least three lenders before committing. Fairfax added about 3.1% to its population between the 2020 base and the 2023 estimate. A single loan can carry different costs on either side of a state line, and Fairfax sits on the South Dakota side of that line. A larger market lies at Bonesteel, SD about 4 miles away.
Fairfax by the numbers
Fairfax is a small community; the notes below cover its population profile and the statewide rules that apply.
- Population: 101 — Fairfax ranks 228th of 309 communities in South Dakota (US Census Bureau, Vintage 2023).
- Population trend: Up about 3.1% from the 2020 Census base to the 2023 estimate.
- Change in people: the 2020-to-2023 comparison is a gain of about 3 residents.
- Size percentile: with 101 residents, Fairfax is larger than about 26% of South Dakota's Census places.
- Land and density: 0.3 square miles of land carry roughly 333 residents per square mile.
- Land area rank: Fairfax's 0.3 square miles rank 233rd of 309 places in South Dakota.
- State share: roughly 0.0% of South Dakota's residents live in Fairfax (101 people).
- Nationally: Fairfax is the 18,102nd-largest of 19,457 Census places in the dataset.
- Growth in South Dakota: Fairfax stands 54th by percentage change from 2020 to 2023, among 309 places.
- Versus South Dakota: the state average change is +0.9%, while Fairfax moved 3.1%.
- Density in South Dakota: Fairfax ranks 199th by people per square mile.
- Against the state median: Fairfax runs about 333 residents per square mile, where the South Dakota median is 581.
- Location: 43.0280, -98.8889 (US Census Bureau Gazetteer).
- Nearest larger cities: Bonesteel (4 mi); Butte (8 mi); Spencer (14 mi); Pickstown (18 mi); Geddes (18 mi). Living near a larger metro rarely changes what is available in Fairfax.
- Smaller places close by: Anoka (6 mi); Naper (11 mi); Herrick (16 mi).
- Smaller neighbours: 13 places smaller than Fairfax sit within 50 miles.
- Within 100 miles: 116 places are larger than Fairfax.
Lender access in Fairfax
Fairfax is lightly settled, with about 333 people per square mile and 27 larger places within 50 miles. A South Dakota licence lets a lender serve Fairfax without a local office, so branch density does not change what its 101 residents are offered. The nearest larger city, Bonesteel, SD about 4 miles away.
Which South Dakota laws govern a loan in Fairfax
For the roughly 101 residents of Fairfax, the rules below are South Dakota's own; each row carries its publisher and retrieval date.
| Rule | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| State lending regulator | South Dakota Division of Banking (Department of Labor and Regulation) Source says: "The Division of Banking is charged with the regulation and supervision of state chartered and licensed financial institutions." | South Dakota Division of Banking (Department of Labor and Regulation) as of 2026-09-16 |
| Maximum legal interest rate (usury cap) | No general maximum/usury restriction when the rate is set by written agreement; specific caps elsewhere in the code apply (e.g., 36% for licensed money lenders). Source says: "no maximum interest rate or charge, or usury rate restriction... if they establish the interest rate or charge by written agreement" (SDCL 54-3-1.1). | South Dakota Legislature (South Dakota Codified Laws) as of 2026-09-16 |
| Payday lending status | Legal for licensed money lenders (including payday and title lenders) but capped at 36% APR including all fees and charges; violations are a Class 1 misdemeanor and loans are void. Source says: "no licensee may contract for or receive finance charges pursuant to a loan in excess of an annual rate of thirty-six percent" (SDCL 54-4-44); "A violation of this section is a Class 1 misdemeanor. Any loan made in violation of this section is void and uncollectible" (54-4-44). | South Dakota Legislature (South Dakota Codified Laws) as of 2026-09-16 |
How personal loans work in Fairfax
In Fairfax, a small community of about 101, the amount is advanced up front and repaid in fixed installments; the city's size does not change the pricing. Because pricing is borrower-level, two people in Fairfax can be quoted different APRs on the same amount and term. Because the payment is fixed, the total cost of a Fairfax loan is knowable in advance — unlike a revolving card balance.
Before you apply in Fairfax
For Fairfax's roughly 101 residents, these are the steps that most influence the offer:
- Check all three credit reports for mistakes, because an error you fix now is a lower rate later.
- Model the payment on the calculator before a lender models it for you.
- Pre-qualify with three or more lenders, then compare the APR rather than the interest rate.
- Look the lender up in the South Dakota regulator's licence records before you sign.
- Weigh a shorter term's higher payment against the interest it saves.
- Borrow only what the purpose requires, not the maximum you are offered.
- Write down the purpose of the loan and your repayment plan before you apply.
What differs between Fairfax and the rest of South Dakota is not the process but the borrower's own file, among the 101 people here.
Fairfax's place among South Dakota's 309 places
Set beside South Dakota's 309 places, Fairfax ranks 228th by population and holds about 0.0% of the state total. Its 2020-to-2023 change ranks 54th of 309 South Dakota places, putting it near the 83th percentile for growth. Its roughly 333 residents per square mile place it 199th among South Dakota's places. By land area, its 0.3 square miles rank 233rd of 309 places in South Dakota.
Common questions
What are my options in Fairfax if my credit is poor?
What loan size can I expect in Fairfax?
Do I have to pledge anything to borrow in Fairfax?
Does comparing loans in Fairfax cost me credit score points?
Nearby places
- Bonesteel, SD — population 257
- Anoka, NE — population 11
- Butte, NE — population 274
- Naper, NE — population 85
- Spencer, NE — population 384
- Geddes, SD — population 152
- Herrick, SD — population 76
- Gross, NE — population 2