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County3rd of 71 in Arkansas by approvalsFIPS 05143
SBA loans in Washington County, Arkansas
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 157 loans to businesses in Washington County, Arkansas, in FY2021 to FY2025, worth $107M: 136 under 7(a) and 21 under 504.
That is 25.0 approvals per 1,000 business establishments (6,281 establishments in 2023), close to the Arkansas figure of 23.9 and below the national 41.0.
It ranks 3rd of 71 Arkansas counties with approvals. In FY2025 there were 37, up 32% on FY2024.
50 lenders had approvals here; the most active were Arvest Bank (27), Rural Missouri, Inc. (20) and Southern Bancorp Bank (8). 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 Washington County
By number of approvals to businesses in the county, FY2021–FY2025; 50 lenders had at least one.
| # | Lender | Approvals | Dollars | Share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arvest BankFayetteville, AR | 27 | $7.6M | 17.2% | |
| 2 | Rural Missouri, Inc.Jefferson City, MO · CDC | 20 | $18.9M | 12.7% | |
| 3 | Southern Bancorp BankArkadelphia, AR | 8 | $8.7M | 5.1% | |
| 4 | The Huntington National BankColumbus, OH | 8 | $2.0M | 5.1% | |
| 5 | FNBC BankAsh Flat, AR | 7 | $4.7M | 4.5% | |
| 6 | ACC CapitalLittle Rock, AR | 6 | $4.1M | 3.8% | |
| 7 | United Midwest Savings Bank National AssociationDe Graff, OH | 6 | $1.7M | 3.8% | |
| 8 | The First National Bank of Fort SmithFort Smith, AR | 5 | $938K | 3.2% | |
| 9 | First Financial BankEl Dorado, AR | 4 | $10.5M | 2.5% | |
| 10 | Newtek Bank, National AssociationMiami, FL | 4 | $475K | 2.5% | |
| 11 | First Horizon BankMemphis, TN | 3 | $5.2M | 1.9% | |
| 12 | Bank OZKLittle Rock, AR | 3 | $2.1M | 1.9% | |
| 13 | Bank of America, National AssociationCharlotte, NC | 3 | $2.1M | 1.9% | |
| 14 | First Security BankSearcy, AR | 3 | $1.2M | 1.9% | |
| 15 | United Community BankGreenville, SC | 3 | $1.0M | 1.9% |
Industries
| # | Industry group (NAICS 4-digit) | Approvals | Share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Restaurants and Other Eating PlacesNAICS 7225 | 19 | 12.1% | |
| 2 | Offices of Other Health PractitionersNAICS 6213 | 13 | 8.3% | |
| 3 | Other Amusement and Recreation IndustriesNAICS 7139 | 7 | 4.5% | |
| 4 | Poultry and Egg ProductionNAICS 1123 | 6 | 3.8% | |
| 5 | Child Day Care ServicesNAICS 6244 | 5 | 3.2% | |
| 6 | Agencies, Brokerages, and Other Insurance Related ActivitiesNAICS 5242 | 5 | 3.2% | |
| 7 | Automotive Repair and MaintenanceNAICS 8111 | 5 | 3.2% | |
| 8 | Waste CollectionNAICS 5621 | 5 | 3.2% | |
| 9 | Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical ServicesNAICS 5419 | 4 | 2.5% | |
| 10 | Miscellaneous Durable Goods Merchant WholesalersNAICS 4239 | 4 | 2.5% |
Sectors
| # | NAICS sector | Approvals | Share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Health Care and Social Assistance | 25 | 15.9% | |
| 2 | Accommodation and Food Services | 22 | 14.0% | |
| 3 | Retail Trade | 14 | 8.9% | |
| 4 | Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation | 14 | 8.9% | |
| 5 | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 13 | 8.3% | |
| 6 | Other Services (except Public Administration) | 13 | 8.3% | |
| 7 | Manufacturing | 9 | 5.7% | |
| 8 | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 7 | 4.5% |
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* | 20 | $18.4M | $303K | 4 | $2.2M | 24 | 150 |
| FY2025 | 31 | $14.4M | $300K | 6 | $4.5M | 37 | 414 |
| FY2024 | 26 | $14.7M | $194K | 2 | — | 28 | 417 |
| FY2023 | 33 | $17.8M | $308K | 4 | $8.0M | 37 | 347 |
| FY2022 | 22 | $21.9M | $390K | 5 | $5.0M | 27 | 376 |
| FY2021 | 24 | $18.4M | $374K | 4 | $1.3M | 28 | 341 |
| FY2020 | 30 | $8.4M | $75K | 8 | $4.8M | 38 | 369 |
| FY2019 | 47 | $18.9M | $250K | 0 | — | 47 | 511 |
| FY2018 | 42 | $30.5M | $304K | 1 | — | 43 | 762 |
| FY2017 | 54 | $20.3M | $120K | 1 | — | 55 | 441 |
| FY2016 | 57 | $29.1M | $150K | 1 | — | 58 | 640 |
In FY2016–FY2020, the five fiscal years before the current window, the county had 241 approvals.
Against Arkansas and the country
| FY2021–FY2025 | Washington County | Arkansas | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Approvals | 157 | 1,686 | 342,825 |
| Approvals per 1,000 establishments | 25.0 | 23.9 | 41.0 |
| Median 7(a) approval | $322K | $234K | $190K |
| Median 504 approval | $569K | $569K | $657K |
| Average approval | $682K | $622K | $573K |
| 504 share of approvals | 13.4% | 7.2% | 11.0% |
| Jobs supported per approval, as reported | 12.1 | 10.5 | 10.5 |
| Share of state approvals | 9.3% | 100.0% | — |
Approval sizes
- $50,000 or less12.1%19
- $50,001 to $150,00019.1%30
- $150,001 to $350,00020.4%32
- $350,001 to $1 million30.6%48
- $1 million to $2 million8.3%13
- Over $2 million9.6%15
Age of the businesses
- Existing, more than 2 years old46.5%73
- New business, 2 years or less10.8%17
- Startup, loan funds will open the business35.0%55
- Change of ownership7.6%12
Questions and answers
Which lenders make the most SBA loans in Washington County?
By approvals in FY2021 to FY2025: Arvest Bank (27), Rural Missouri, Inc. (20), Southern Bancorp Bank (8), The Huntington National Bank (8), FNBC Bank (7). Volume says how active a lender is, nothing about terms or service.
How large are typical SBA loans in Washington County?
The median 7(a) approval was $322K and the median 504 approval $569K; the Arkansas 7(a) median was $234K.
Which industries get the most SBA loans in Washington County?
Restaurants and Other Eating Places (19); Offices of Other Health Practitioners (13); Other Amusement and Recreation Industries (7); Poultry and Egg Production (6); Child Day Care Services (5).
Is SBA lending in Washington County rising?
Approvals in the three latest complete fiscal years total 102, against 93 in the three before: rising (+10%).
How does Washington County compare with the rest of Arkansas?
25.0 approvals per 1,000 establishments against 23.9 statewide, and 157 of the state's 1,686 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