Personal loans in Merino, CO

A personal loan in Merino is priced from your credit file and income, not from the fact that the city holds 282 people. By population, Merino sits at 220th in Colorado, with an estimated 282 residents.

By the Personalloaner Editorial Team · Last updated 2026-09-16

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Verify the lender's Colorado licence against the regulator named below before borrowing in Merino. Census figures put the 2020-to-2023 decrease in Merino at about 1.1%. A lender that serves Merino operates under Colorado lending statutes and a Colorado supervisor. The closest larger place is Sterling, CO about 13 miles away.

What the Census records for Merino

Most of what governs a Merino loan is written in Colorado law rather than in the city; the sourced notes below make that split concrete.

Population: 282 — Merino ranks 220th of 270 communities in Colorado (US Census Bureau, Vintage 2023).
Population trend: A loss of roughly 1.1% between 2020 and 2023.
Net change: roughly 3 fewer people than the 2020 Census counted.
Size percentile: roughly 19% of Colorado places rank below Merino.
Land and density: 0.2 square miles of land carry roughly 1,855 residents per square mile.
Land area: Merino covers 0.2 square miles, the 261st-largest area among Colorado's 270 places.
Share of Colorado: Merino holds about 0.0% of the state's population, some 282 people.
National rank: Merino sits 15,340th by population among the 19,457 places in this dataset.
Growth in Colorado: Merino stands 149th by percentage change from 2020 to 2023, among 270 places.
State comparison: Colorado's places average +2.3% for 2020-to-2023, against Merino's 1.1%.
Density rank: Merino places 57th among Colorado's places by people per square mile.
Density vs Colorado: Merino's 1,855 people per square mile compare with a state median of 1,126.
Location: 40.4837, -103.3537 (Census Gazetteer coordinates).
Nearest larger cities: Sterling (13 mi); Hillrose (14 mi); Brush (21 mi); Akron (23 mi); Fort Morgan (28 mi). Any of them may have more branches, but statewide rules and your credit still set the price.
Nearest smaller towns: Iliff (24 mi); Raymer (New Raymer) (27 mi); Peetz (35 mi).
Within a 50-mile radius: 5 smaller Census places.
At 100 miles: 86 larger Census places fall inside that radius.

Before you apply in Merino

These steps shape the offer you get in Merino, a place of about 282 people:

Check all three credit reports for mistakes, because an error you fix now is a lower rate later.
Test your amount and term in the personal loan calculator first.
Get several pre-qualifications and compare APR side by side before choosing.
Verify the lender's Colorado licence with the regulator listed on this page.
Keep the amount to the expense; an approval is not a reason to take more.
Decide the purpose and how you will repay it before approaching any lender.
If debt is already a struggle, talk to a nonprofit credit counsellor before borrowing more.

What differs between Merino and the rest of Colorado is not the process but the borrower's own file, among the 282 people here.

Merino's place among Colorado's 270 places

Set beside Colorado's 270 places, Merino ranks 220th by population and holds about 0.0% of the state total. On the 2020-to-2023 trend, Merino stands 149th among Colorado's 270 places — roughly the 45th percentile. By density, at about 1,855 people per square mile, it ranks 57th in Colorado. Between 2020 and 2023 the count changed by roughly 3 residents.

What a Merino borrower is actually offered

In Merino, a small community of about 282, the amount is advanced up front and repaid in fixed installments; the city's size does not change the pricing. Federal Truth in Lending rules require a Merino lender to disclose the APR and finance charge before you sign. Because the payment is fixed, the total cost of a Merino loan is knowable in advance — unlike a revolving card balance.

Lender access in Merino

With about 1,855 residents per square mile, Merino is moderately settled, and 12 larger Census places sit within 50 miles. A Colorado licence lets a lender serve Merino without a local office, so branch density does not change what its 282 residents are offered. The nearest larger city, Sterling, CO about 13 miles away.

How Colorado law applies in Merino

Below are the Colorado rules that apply to a loan made in Merino, each with the regulator that issued it.

Rule	Detail	Source
State lending regulator	Colorado Attorney General's Office — Consumer Credit Unit (Administrator of the Uniform Consumer Credit Code) Source says: "The Consumer Credit Unit regulates (through licensure/registration programs) companies and individuals involved in consumer lending"; it "licenses non-bank lenders such as finance companies and payday lenders".	Colorado Attorney General — Consumer Protection Section as of 2026-09-16
Small-loan / installment lender licensing	Supervised lender license required from the UCCC Administrator (master license required for more than one place of business); deferred deposit lenders must hold a supervised lender's license Source says: "if a supervised lender has more than one place of business, they must obtain a master license"; "no person shall engage in the business of deferred deposit loans without having first obtained a supervised lender's license" (C.R.S. § 5-3.1-116).	Colorado Attorney General — Uniform Consumer Credit Code licensing as of 2026-09-16
Maximum legal interest rate (usury cap)	UCCC finance-charge ceilings: 12% per year on non-supervised consumer loans; supervised loans 36% on the first $1,000, 21% on $1,000–$3,000, 15% above $3,000 (or 21% flat); 21% on revolving accounts Source says: "not exceeding twelve percent per year on the unpaid balance of the amount financed"; "Thirty-six percent per year on that part of the unpaid balances of the amount financed that is one thousand dollars or less"; "Twenty-one percent per year on the unpaid balances of the amount financed".	Colorado General Assembly — C.R.S. § 5-2-201 (Colorado Revised Statutes 2024, Title 5) as of 2026-09-16

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Common questions

What are my options in Merino if my credit is poor?

Borrowing is still possible, but expect a higher APR and a smaller approved amount. Lenders that accept lower scores hold statewide licences, so what is open to you in Merino is the same as anywhere in Colorado.

What loan size can I expect in Merino?

Most personal loans sit somewhere between $1,000 and $50,000, though the figure you are approved for turns on the lender, your income and your credit. Model the monthly payment first with our personal loan calculator.

Do I have to pledge anything to borrow in Merino?

For an unsecured personal loan, no — there is nothing to pledge. A secured loan, such as home equity or one secured by a vehicle, does require collateral, and default puts that asset at risk.

Does comparing loans in Merino cost me credit score points?

Not during pre-qualification, which normally uses a soft pull and leaves your score alone. Submitting a full application triggers a hard inquiry, which can trim a few points briefly.

Nearby places

Sterling, CO — population 12,954
Hillrose, CO — population 309
Akron, CO — population 1,772
Brush, CO — population 5,268
Iliff, CO — population 241
Fort Morgan, CO — population 11,564
Raymer (New Raymer), CO — population 111
Otis, CO — population 521