Personal loans in Salem, SD
Which products a lender may offer to Salem's 1,335 residents follows from the South Dakota consumer-lending framework. A personal loan in Salem is priced from your credit file and income, not from the fact that the city holds 1,335 people.
By population, Salem sits at 46th in South Dakota, with an estimated 1,335 residents. The 2020-to-2023 change in Salem is negligible, under a tenth of a percent. Work out your debt-to-income ratio first; lenders weigh it heavily, and Salem's 1,335 residents are no exception. Borrowers who want a bigger city can look to Hartford, SD about 24 miles away.
Salem by the numbers
Set out below is Salem's local context next to the state-level rules that reach every lender here.
- Population: a Census-estimated 1,335, 46th among South Dakota's 309 places (Vintage 2023).
- Population trend: Stable from the 2020 base to 2023.
- Size percentile: with 1,335 residents, Salem is larger than about 85% of South Dakota's Census places.
- Population density: about 1,068 people per square mile (Census land area 1.2 sq mi).
- Land area: Salem covers 1.2 square miles, the 83rd-largest area among South Dakota's 309 places.
- Within South Dakota: about 0.2% of the state's population lives in Salem.
- National rank: Salem sits 9,153rd by population among the 19,457 places in this dataset.
- Growth rank: Salem ranks 134th among South Dakota's 309 places for the 2020-to-2023 change.
- Against the state trend: Salem's 0.0% change compares with a South Dakota average of +0.9% across its 309 places.
- Density rank: Salem is the 62nd most densely settled place in South Dakota.
- Density in context: Salem's 1,068 people per square mile sit against a South Dakota median of 581.
- Location: coordinates 43.7228, -97.3893 (US Census Bureau Gazetteer).
- Nearest larger cities: Hartford (24 mi); Madison (24 mi); Crooks (29 mi); Mitchell (33 mi); Tea (34 mi). For most borrowers the comparison happens online, not at a branch.
- Smaller communities close by: Canistota (10 mi); Spencer (10 mi); Montrose (10 mi), each with its own Census population profile.
- Within a 50-mile radius: 55 smaller Census places.
- Within 100 miles: 48 places are larger than Salem.
The geography behind Salem
The Census Gazetteer records about 1.2 square miles of land within Salem, with no significant water area listed. With 1,335 residents, the land area yields roughly 1,068 people per square mile. Sioux Falls, the largest place in South Dakota, is about 35 miles from Salem. Within 50 miles of Salem there are 14 larger Census places. By land area it ranks 83rd of 309 South Dakota places.
A pre-application checklist for Salem
Complete these steps first when you borrow in Salem (1,335 residents):
- Pull your credit reports first and correct any error before a lender sees the file.
- Price the payment first with our personal loan calculator before any lender quotes you.
- Get several pre-qualifications and compare APR side by side before choosing.
- Verify the lender's South Dakota licence with the regulator listed on this page.
- Borrow only what the purpose requires, not the maximum you are offered.
- Be clear on what the loan is for and how it gets repaid.
- If the balances are already a strain, seek nonprofit credit counselling before adding a loan.
In Salem as elsewhere in South Dakota, the written terms — not the advertisement — are what count for its 1,335 residents.
How lenders reach Salem
Salem is moderately settled, with about 1,068 people per square mile and 14 larger places within 50 miles. A South Dakota licence lets a lender serve Salem without a local office, so branch density does not change what its 1,335 residents are offered. For a larger market, the closest option is Hartford, SD about 24 miles away.
Salem's place among South Dakota's 309 places
Among South Dakota's 309 places, Salem sits at 46th for population, a share of roughly 0.2% of the state. Its 2020-to-2023 change ranks 134th of 309 South Dakota places, putting it near the 57th percentile for growth. By density, at about 1,068 people per square mile, it ranks 62nd in South Dakota. In land area, Salem ranks 83rd among South Dakota's 309 places.
What South Dakota law requires in Salem
This table holds the South Dakota rate and licensing rules for consumer loans made to Salem's 1,335 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 |
| 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 |
| Small-loan / installment lender licensing | Money Lender license (SDCL ch. 54-4) required for anyone lending money or creating/holding/purchasing retail installment contracts; payday and title lenders are licensed as money lenders. Source says: "to be a Money Lender and subject to the licensing requirements of South Dakota Codified Laws (SDCL) Chapter 54-4"; "Payday and title lenders are also licensed as Money Lenders under SDCL Chapter 54-4." | South Dakota Division of Banking (Department of Labor and Regulation) as of 2026-09-16 |
Common questions
What are my options in Salem if my credit is poor?
What loan size can I expect in Salem?
Do I have to pledge anything to borrow in Salem?
Does comparing loans in Salem cost me credit score points?
Nearby places
- Canistota, SD — population 642
- Canova, SD — population 91
- Spencer, SD — population 137
- Bridgewater, SD — population 507
- Montrose, SD — population 466
- Dolton, SD — population 36
- Emery, SD — population 478
- Monroe, SD — population 160