Personal loans in Chatham, MI
Chatham, MI is a small community in Michigan with a Census-estimated population of 216, making it the 512th-largest of 533 places in the state. Its population fell about 0.5% between the 2020 Census base and the 2023 estimate. Borrowers in Chatham compare personal loans the same way borrowers do anywhere in Michigan: the lender prices the loan from your credit history, income and debt load, not from your city.
What is specific to borrowing in Chatham
- Population: 216 (US Census Bureau, Vintage 2023 subcounty estimate) — the 512th-largest place of 533 in Michigan.
- Population trend: Its population fell about 0.5% between the 2020 Census base and the 2023 estimate.
- Size percentile: larger than about 4% of the Census places in Michigan.
- Location: 46.3441, -86.9313 (US Census Bureau Gazetteer).
- Nearest larger cities: Munising (16 mi); Marquette (26 mi); Negaunee (33 mi); Gladstone (34 mi); Ishpeming (36 mi). Larger metros often have more walk-in branches, but online lenders serve Chatham on the same terms.
- Nearest smaller towns: Garden (44 mi); Carney (60 mi); Daggett (69 mi).
Michigan lending rules that apply in Chatham
| Rule | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Maximum legal interest rate (usury cap) | 7% per annum maximum by written agreement; 5% legal rate (MCL 438.31) Source says: "it shall be lawful for the parties to stipulate in writing for the payment of any rate of interest, not exceeding 7% per annum" | Michigan Legislature as of 2026-09-16 |
| Payday lending status | Legal and licensed — deferred presentment service transactions (2005 PA 244; MCL 487.2121 et seq.), licensed and regulated by DIFS Source says: "AN ACT to regulate the business of providing deferred presentment service transactions; to require the licensing of providers of deferred presentment service transactions" | Michigan Legislature as of 2026-09-16 |
| Small-loan / installment lender licensing | License required from the commissioner to make regulated loans (Regulatory Loan Act, MCL 493.1 et seq.) Source says: "a person shall not engage in the business of making loans of money ... without first obtaining a license from the commissioner" | Michigan Legislature as of 2026-09-16 |
| State lending regulator | Michigan Department of Insurance and Financial Services (DIFS) Source says: ""Department" means the department of insurance and financial services" | Michigan Legislature as of 2026-09-16 |
| Regulated lender interest/finance charge cap | 25% per annum (Credit Reform Act, MCL 445.1854(1)) Source says: "may charge, collect, and receive any rate of interest or finance charge for an extension of credit not to exceed 25% per annum" | Michigan Legislature as of 2026-09-16 |
How a personal loan works in Chatham
A personal loan in Chatham is an installment loan: you receive a lump sum and repay it in fixed monthly payments over a set term, usually two to seven years. Because the payment is fixed, the total cost is predictable up front — which is the main advantage over a credit card, where the balance revolves and the payoff date is open-ended. The two numbers that matter are the APR (which includes fees, not just interest) and the term. A longer term lowers the monthly payment but raises the total interest you pay.
Before you apply in Chatham
- Pull your free credit reports and dispute any error — it is the cheapest way to improve the rate you are offered.
- Run the numbers with our personal loan calculator so you know the payment before a lender tells you.
- Pre-qualify with at least three lenders and compare the APR, not the interest rate.
- Check the lender is licensed in Michigan using the regulator listed above.
- Read the disclosure for origination fees and any prepayment penalty before you sign.
Advertising disclosure: Loansloth may receive a referral fee if you apply through the link above. That fee does not change the rate you are offered, and it does not change our content. We are not a lender. Read the full disclosure.
Frequently asked questions
Can I get a personal loan with bad credit in Chatham?
How much can I borrow with a personal loan in Chatham?
Does a personal loan in Chatham require collateral?
Will shopping for a loan in Chatham hurt my credit?
Nearby places
- Munising, MI — population 1,963
- Gladstone, MI — population 5,237
- Marquette, MI — population 21,079
- Escanaba, MI — population 12,343
- Negaunee, MI — population 4,653
- Garden, MI — population 187
- Ishpeming, MI — population 6,183
- Manistique, MI — population 2,860