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County8th of 64 in Alabama by approvalsFIPS 01125
SBA loans in Tuscaloosa County, Alabama
7(a) and 504 approvals to businesses located in the county, set against the number of businesses there and against the state.
SBA approvals by fiscal year. The federal fiscal year runs 1 October to 30 September, so FY2025 is 1 October 2024 to 30 September 2025. *FY2026 is open: approvals to 30 Jun 2026 only.
SBA approved 92 loans to businesses in Tuscaloosa County, Alabama, in FY2021 to FY2025, worth $41.7M: 81 under 7(a) and 11 under 504.
That is 22.0 approvals per 1,000 business establishments (4,189 establishments in 2023), close to the Alabama figure of 24.1 and below the national 41.0.
It ranks 8th of 64 Alabama counties with approvals. In FY2025 there were 28, up 100% on FY2024.
31 lenders had approvals here; the most active were BankFirst Financial Services (26), Northeast Bank (9) and Newtek Bank, National Association (7). The most common industry was restaurants and other eating places.
Loan status is as recorded by SBA at the data date; charge-off rates are computed on loans approved at least five fiscal years ago. Jobs supported are self-reported estimates from the SBA loan application, which SBA does not review, audit or validate. Data through 30 Jun 2026.
Lenders most active in Tuscaloosa County
By number of approvals to businesses in the county, FY2021–FY2025; 31 lenders had at least one.
| # | Lender | Approvals | Dollars | Share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | BankFirst Financial ServicesColumbus, MS | 26 | $9.0M | 28.3% | |
| 2 | Northeast BankLewiston, ME | 9 | $1.5M | 9.8% | |
| 3 | Newtek Bank, National AssociationMiami, FL | 7 | $3.0M | 7.6% | |
| 4 | The Huntington National BankColumbus, OH | 5 | $1.0M | 5.4% | |
| 5 | BayFirst National BankSaint Petersburg, FL | 5 | $650K | 5.4% | |
| 6 | Florida Business Development CorporationTampa, FL · CDC | 4 | $4.0M | 4.3% | |
| 7 | Southern Development CouncilMountain Brook, AL · CDC | 4 | $1.7M | 4.3% | |
| 8 | Florida First Capital Finance Corporation, Inc.Tallahassee, FL · CDC | 3 | $5.4M | 3.3% | |
| 9 | United Midwest Savings Bank National AssociationDe Graff, OH | 3 | $450K | 3.3% | |
| 10 | Pinnacle BankNashville, TN | 2 | — | 2.2% | |
| 11 | Celtic Bank CorporationSalt Lake City, UT | 2 | — | 2.2% | |
| 12 | Lendistry SBLC, LLCLos Angeles, CA | 2 | — | 2.2% | |
| 13 | Wells Fargo Bank National AssociationSioux Falls, SD | 2 | — | 2.2% | |
| 14 | Regions BankBirmingham, AL | 1 | — | 1.1% | |
| 15 | SouthState Bank, National AssociationWinter Haven, FL | 1 | — | 1.1% |
Industries
| # | Industry group (NAICS 4-digit) | Approvals | Share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Restaurants and Other Eating PlacesNAICS 7225 | 20 | 21.7% | |
| 2 | Automotive Repair and MaintenanceNAICS 8111 | 6 | 6.5% | |
| 3 | Other Amusement and Recreation IndustriesNAICS 7139 | 4 | 4.3% | |
| 4 | General Freight TruckingNAICS 4841 | 3 | 3.3% | |
| 5 | Services to Buildings and DwellingsNAICS 5617 | 3 | 3.3% | |
| 6 | Waste CollectionNAICS 5621 | 3 | 3.3% | |
| 7 | Accounting, Tax Preparation, Bookkeeping, and Payroll ServicesNAICS 5412 | 3 | 3.3% | |
| 8 | Death Care ServicesNAICS 8122 | 2 | 2.2% | |
| 9 | Activities Related to Real EstateNAICS 5313 | 2 | 2.2% | |
| 10 | Architectural and Structural Metals ManufacturingNAICS 3323 | 2 | 2.2% |
Sectors
| # | NAICS sector | Approvals | Share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Accommodation and Food Services | 21 | 22.8% | |
| 2 | Retail Trade | 11 | 12.0% | |
| 3 | Other Services (except Public Administration) | 10 | 10.9% | |
| 4 | Real Estate and Rental and Leasing | 8 | 8.7% | |
| 5 | Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 8 | 8.7% | |
| 6 | Health Care and Social Assistance | 6 | 6.5% | |
| 7 | Construction | 5 | 5.4% | |
| 8 | Transportation and Warehousing | 5 | 5.4% |
Approvals by fiscal year
| Fiscal year | 7(a) approvals | 7(a) dollars | Median 7(a) | 504 approvals | 504 dollars | All approvals | Jobs supported, as reported |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2026* | 1 | — | — | 0 | — | 1 | 10 |
| FY2025 | 27 | $9.3M | $234K | 1 | — | 28 | 352 |
| FY2024 | 14 | $6.8M | $278K | 0 | — | 14 | 293 |
| FY2023 | 12 | $4.5M | $150K | 5 | $4.4M | 17 | 128 |
| FY2022 | 15 | $3.5M | $75K | 0 | — | 15 | 186 |
| FY2021 | 13 | $6.6M | $350K | 5 | $6.2M | 18 | 288 |
| FY2020 | 19 | $12.3M | $250K | 2 | — | 21 | 236 |
| FY2019 | 13 | $12.3M | $400K | 2 | — | 15 | 131 |
| FY2018 | 13 | $4.5M | $200K | 2 | — | 15 | 213 |
| FY2017 | 18 | $4.3M | $113K | 3 | $897K | 21 | 284 |
| FY2016 | 15 | $7.6M | $284K | 3 | $1.2M | 18 | 393 |
In FY2016–FY2020, the five fiscal years before the current window, the county had 90 approvals.
Against Alabama and the country
| FY2021–FY2025 | Tuscaloosa County | Alabama | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Approvals | 92 | 2,552 | 342,825 |
| Approvals per 1,000 establishments | 22.0 | 24.1 | 41.0 |
| Median 7(a) approval | $206K | $260K | $190K |
| Median 504 approval | $654K | $659K | $657K |
| Average approval | $454K | $696K | $573K |
| 504 share of approvals | 12.0% | 13.7% | 11.0% |
| Jobs supported per approval, as reported | 13.6 | 11.4 | 10.5 |
| Share of state approvals | 3.6% | 100.0% | — |
Approval sizes
- $50,000 or less16.3%15
- $50,001 to $150,00022.8%21
- $150,001 to $350,00021.7%20
- $350,001 to $1 million28.3%26
- $1 million to $2 million7.6%7
- Over $2 million3.3%3
Age of the businesses
- Existing, more than 2 years old58.7%54
- New business, 2 years or less15.2%14
- Startup, loan funds will open the business18.5%17
- Change of ownership7.6%7
Questions and answers
Which lenders make the most SBA loans in Tuscaloosa County?
By approvals in FY2021 to FY2025: BankFirst Financial Services (26), Northeast Bank (9), Newtek Bank, National Association (7), The Huntington National Bank (5), BayFirst National Bank (5). Volume says how active a lender is, nothing about terms or service.
How large are typical SBA loans in Tuscaloosa County?
The median 7(a) approval was $206K and the median 504 approval $654K; the Alabama 7(a) median was $260K.
Which industries get the most SBA loans in Tuscaloosa County?
Restaurants and Other Eating Places (20); Automotive Repair and Maintenance (6); Other Amusement and Recreation Industries (4); General Freight Trucking (3); Services to Buildings and Dwellings (3).
Is SBA lending in Tuscaloosa County rising?
Approvals in the three latest complete fiscal years total 59, against 54 in the three before: broadly level (+9%).
How does Tuscaloosa County compare with the rest of Alabama?
22.0 approvals per 1,000 establishments against 24.1 statewide, and 92 of the state's 2,552 approvals.
About these figures
Figures are totals of the Small Business Administration's 7(a) and 504 FOIA loan files, data through 30 Jun 2026. SBA updates the files quarterly. Counts are loan approvals, including approvals later cancelled; the five-year window is FY2021–FY2025, the five latest complete fiscal years. Charge-off rates use only loans approved in FY2010–FY2021, at least five fiscal years ago, and count disbursed loans SBA records as charged off. Loans are listed under the lender they are assigned to today. Establishment counts are from the Census Bureau's County Business Patterns 2023, which leaves out most farms, government and businesses without employees. Dollar figures behind fewer than three approvals are not shown, and no borrower is named anywhere on this site.Methodology · Report an error