Personal loans in Franklin, IA
Franklin sits inside Iowa, where a single set of consumer-lending rules governs every lender that operates. By population, Franklin sits at 772nd in Iowa, with an estimated 127 residents. The trend between 2020 and 2023 is downward by roughly 0.8%. Every figure below is Iowa's own, carrying the publisher and the retrieval date. Price two or three terms so you can see which payment is truly affordable. For a bigger market, look to Donnellson, IA about 3 miles away.
Borrowing in Franklin: the local picture
Only a few things actually differ by place — population, location, and the Iowa rules a lender must follow — and they are below.
- Population: 127 — Franklin ranks 772nd of 940 communities in Iowa (US Census Bureau, Vintage 2023).
- Population trend: The 2020-to-2023 change is negative, near 0.8%.
- Size percentile: roughly 18% of Iowa places rank below it.
- Location: it lies at 40.6668, -91.5118 in the Census Gazetteer.
- Nearest larger cities: Donnellson (3 mi); West Point (5 mi); Fort Madison (9 mi); Houghton (10 mi); Nauvoo (11 mi). Lenders licensed in the state serve Franklin whether or not they keep a local branch.
- Nearest smaller towns: St. Paul (7 mi); Revere (15 mi); Pontoosuc (16 mi) — useful context for the surrounding area.
What Iowa law requires in Franklin
Each figure in the table below carries a publisher and a date; where the state publishes nothing, we point to the source rather than estimate.
| 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 Franklin personal loan looks like
A longer term lowers the monthly payment on a Franklin loan but raises the total interest, so the smallest payment is not always the cheapest loan. Only when you accept an offer and finish a full application does the lender run a hard inquiry, which may cost a few points for a short time. Deal only with a lender licensed in Iowa, which you can check with the regulator named below.
A pre-application checklist for Franklin
Work through this short checklist before committing to a personal loan in Franklin:
- 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.
- Read the disclosure for an origination fee and any prepayment penalty before signing.
Common questions
What are my options in Franklin if my credit is poor?
What loan size can I expect in Franklin?
Do I have to pledge anything to borrow in Franklin?
Does comparing loans in Franklin cost me credit score points?
Nearby places
- Donnellson, IA — population 866
- West Point, IA — population 909
- St. Paul, IA — population 105
- Houghton, IA — population 136
- Montrose, IA — population 727
- Fort Madison, IA — population 10,053
- Nauvoo, IL — population 923
- Salem, IA — population 386