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County33rd of 58 in California by approvalsFIPS 06025
SBA loans in Imperial County, California
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 113 loans to businesses in Imperial County, California, in FY2021 to FY2025, worth $102M: 92 under 7(a) and 21 under 504.
That is 42.2 approvals per 1,000 business establishments (2,677 establishments in 2023), close to the California figure of 40.8 and close to the national 41.0.
It ranks 33rd of 58 California counties with approvals. In FY2025 there were 24, up 41% on FY2024.
43 lenders had approvals here; the most active were U.S. Bank, National Association (12), Wells Fargo Bank National Association (12) and CDC Small Business Finance Corp. (9). 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 Imperial County
By number of approvals to businesses in the county, FY2021–FY2025; 43 lenders had at least one.
| # | Lender | Approvals | Dollars | Share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | U.S. Bank, National AssociationCincinnati, OH | 12 | $8.8M | 10.6% | |
| 2 | Wells Fargo Bank National AssociationSioux Falls, SD | 12 | $3.4M | 10.6% | |
| 3 | CDC Small Business Finance Corp.San Diego, CA · CDC | 9 | $11.0M | 8.0% | |
| 4 | Frontwave Credit UnionOceanside, CA | 6 | $6.0M | 5.3% | |
| 5 | JPMorgan Chase Bank, National AssociationColumbus, OH | 6 | $1.1M | 5.3% | |
| 6 | California Statewide Certified Development CorporationDavis, CA · CDC | 5 | $4.5M | 4.4% | |
| 7 | US Metro BankGarden Grove, CA | 4 | $6.2M | 3.5% | |
| 8 | Banner BankWalla Walla, WA | 4 | $3.1M | 3.5% | |
| 9 | Open BankLos Angeles, CA | 3 | $10.8M | 2.7% | |
| 10 | Celtic Bank CorporationSalt Lake City, UT | 3 | $7.1M | 2.7% | |
| 11 | Bank of HopeLos Angeles, CA | 3 | $3.3M | 2.7% | |
| 12 | Mortgage Capital Development CorporationOakland, CA · CDC | 3 | $2.7M | 2.7% | |
| 13 | Bank of America, National AssociationCharlotte, NC | 3 | $825K | 2.7% | |
| 14 | Readycap Lending, LLCBerkeley Heights, NJ | 2 | — | 1.8% | |
| 15 | CalPrivate BankLa Jolla, CA | 2 | — | 1.8% |
Industries
| # | Industry group (NAICS 4-digit) | Approvals | Share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Restaurants and Other Eating PlacesNAICS 7225 | 15 | 13.3% | |
| 2 | General Freight TruckingNAICS 4841 | 14 | 12.4% | |
| 3 | Traveler AccommodationNAICS 7211 | 5 | 4.4% | |
| 4 | Gasoline StationsNAICS 4571 | 5 | 4.4% | |
| 5 | Gasoline StationsNAICS 4471 | 4 | 3.5% | |
| 6 | Automotive Repair and MaintenanceNAICS 8111 | 4 | 3.5% | |
| 7 | Offices of PhysiciansNAICS 6211 | 4 | 3.5% | |
| 8 | Building Equipment ContractorsNAICS 2382 | 4 | 3.5% | |
| 9 | Support Activities for Crop ProductionNAICS 1151 | 4 | 3.5% | |
| 10 | Residential Building ConstructionNAICS 2361 | 4 | 3.5% |
Sectors
| # | NAICS sector | Approvals | Share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Accommodation and Food Services | 21 | 18.6% | |
| 2 | Retail Trade | 20 | 17.7% | |
| 3 | Transportation and Warehousing | 17 | 15.0% | |
| 4 | Construction | 11 | 9.7% | |
| 5 | Health Care and Social Assistance | 10 | 8.8% | |
| 6 | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 9 | 8.0% | |
| 7 | Other Services (except Public Administration) | 6 | 5.3% | |
| 8 | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 4 | 3.5% |
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* | 5 | $8.5M | $1.3M | 1 | — | 6 | 171 |
| FY2025 | 22 | $18.1M | $350K | 2 | — | 24 | 292 |
| FY2024 | 16 | $3.3M | $108K | 1 | — | 17 | 125 |
| FY2023 | 15 | $15.6M | $370K | 3 | $3.9M | 18 | 293 |
| FY2022 | 11 | $6.9M | $320K | 9 | $12.1M | 20 | 297 |
| FY2021 | 28 | $36.9M | $564K | 6 | $3.8M | 34 | 299 |
| FY2020 | 15 | $17.7M | $245K | 2 | — | 17 | 276 |
| FY2019 | 23 | $13.7M | $50K | 2 | — | 25 | 171 |
| FY2018 | 24 | $14.5M | $248K | 1 | — | 25 | 214 |
| FY2017 | 18 | $9.3M | $315K | 7 | $5.0M | 25 | 229 |
| FY2016 | 29 | $15.1M | $200K | 2 | — | 31 | 581 |
In FY2016–FY2020, the five fiscal years before the current window, the county had 123 approvals.
Against California and the country
| FY2021–FY2025 | Imperial County | California | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Approvals | 113 | 42,016 | 342,825 |
| Approvals per 1,000 establishments | 42.2 | 40.8 | 41.0 |
| Median 7(a) approval | $350K | $250K | $190K |
| Median 504 approval | $824K | $884K | $657K |
| Average approval | $905K | $733K | $573K |
| 504 share of approvals | 18.6% | 17.2% | 11.0% |
| Jobs supported per approval, as reported | 11.6 | 11.0 | 10.5 |
| Share of state approvals | 0.3% | 100.0% | — |
Approval sizes
- $50,000 or less20.4%23
- $50,001 to $150,0007.1%8
- $150,001 to $350,00020.4%23
- $350,001 to $1 million23.9%27
- $1 million to $2 million12.4%14
- Over $2 million15.9%18
Age of the businesses
- Existing, more than 2 years old61.1%69
- New business, 2 years or less20.4%23
- Startup, loan funds will open the business8.8%10
- Change of ownership9.7%11
Questions and answers
Which lenders make the most SBA loans in Imperial County?
By approvals in FY2021 to FY2025: U.S. Bank, National Association (12), Wells Fargo Bank National Association (12), CDC Small Business Finance Corp. (9), Frontwave Credit Union (6), JPMorgan Chase Bank, National Association (6). Volume says how active a lender is, nothing about terms or service.
How large are typical SBA loans in Imperial County?
The median 7(a) approval was $350K and the median 504 approval $824K; the California 7(a) median was $250K.
Which industries get the most SBA loans in Imperial County?
Restaurants and Other Eating Places (15); General Freight Trucking (14); Traveler Accommodation (5); Gasoline Stations (5); Gasoline Stations (4).
Is SBA lending in Imperial County rising?
Approvals in the three latest complete fiscal years total 59, against 71 in the three before: falling (-17%).
How does Imperial County compare with the rest of California?
42.2 approvals per 1,000 establishments against 40.8 statewide, and 113 of the state's 42,016 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