Personal loans in Onaka, SD
Onaka is a small community in South Dakota, with an estimated 15 residents, and every licensed lender here follows the same state rulebook. About 15 people live in Onaka, placing it 300th of 309 Census places in South Dakota.
The nearest larger metro is Tolstoy, SD about 7 miles away. The trend for Onaka between 2020 and 2023 is upward by roughly 7.1%. Consumer lending that reaches Onaka's 15 residents is governed by South Dakota statute; no city ordinance changes it. Get pre-qualified with several lenders, then compare APR rather than the headline rate for a Onaka loan.
Onaka: population, trend and location
What follows is Onaka's place in the Census record, alongside the South Dakota rules that govern a personal loan made here.
- Population: about 15, ranked 300th of 309 places in South Dakota (Census Vintage 2023 subcounty estimate).
- Population trend: Growth of about 7.1% across the 2020-to-2023 comparison.
- People gained or lost: about 1 more since the 2020 base.
- Size percentile: about 3% of South Dakota's Census places are smaller than Onaka.
- Density: roughly 58 residents per square mile, spread over 0.3 sq mi of land.
- Land area rank: Onaka's 0.3 square miles rank 254th of 309 places in South Dakota.
- Water: Onaka holds about 0.01 square miles, the 40th-largest water area in South Dakota.
- Within South Dakota: about 0.0% of the state's population lives in Onaka.
- National rank: Onaka sits 19,393rd by population among the 19,457 places in this dataset.
- Growth rank: Onaka's 2020-to-2023 change ranks 19th of 309 places in South Dakota.
- Versus South Dakota: the state average change is +0.9%, while Onaka moved 7.1%.
- Density rank: Onaka places 290th among South Dakota's places by people per square mile.
- Against the state median: Onaka runs about 58 residents per square mile, where the South Dakota median is 581.
- Location: coordinates 45.1912, -99.4647 (US Census Bureau Gazetteer).
- Nearest larger cities: Tolstoy (7 mi); Seneca (9 mi); Hoven (16 mi); Lebanon (17 mi); Roscoe (19 mi). Any of them may have more branches, but statewide rules and your credit still set the price.
- Nearest smaller towns: Lowry (27 mi); Wetonka (45 mi); Artas (51 mi) — useful context for the surrounding area.
- Smaller neighbours: 2 places smaller than Onaka sit within 50 miles.
- Within 100 miles: 116 places are larger than Onaka.
The geography behind Onaka
Onaka covers about 0.3 square miles of land, with 0.01 square miles of water inside its boundaries (Census Gazetteer). With 15 residents, the land area yields roughly 58 people per square mile. The largest place in South Dakota, Sioux Falls, lies about 177 miles away. Onaka has 31 larger places within a 50-mile radius. Within the same 50 miles lie 2 smaller Census places.
How a Onaka personal loan is priced
In Onaka, a small community of about 15, the amount is advanced up front and repaid in fixed installments; the city's size does not change the pricing. Two numbers drive a Onaka loan: the APR, which includes fees, and the term, which decides how long you keep paying. A longer term lowers the monthly payment on a Onaka loan but raises total interest, so the smallest payment is not the cheapest loan.
Which South Dakota laws govern a loan in Onaka
The rows below set out what a licensed lender must follow in South Dakota, and so for Onaka's roughly 15 residents.
| 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 |
Borrowing reach in Onaka
Onaka is sparsely settled, with about 58 people per square mile and 31 larger places within 50 miles. Whether Onaka has a local branch or not, a South Dakota-licensed lender can serve its 15 people online on the same terms. The nearest bigger place is Tolstoy, SD about 7 miles away.
Where Onaka sits in South Dakota
Onaka is the 300th-largest of 309 Census places in South Dakota and contains about 0.0% of the state's people. Its 2020-to-2023 change ranks 19th of 309 South Dakota places, putting it near the 94th percentile for growth. By density, at about 58 people per square mile, it ranks 290th in South Dakota. In land area, Onaka ranks 254th among South Dakota's 309 places.
Common questions
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Nearby places
- Seneca, SD — population 23
- Tolstoy, SD — population 37
- Roscoe, SD — population 281
- Hoven, SD — population 366
- Bowdle, SD — population 476
- Lebanon, SD — population 32
- Faulkton, SD — population 823
- Hosmer, SD — population 164