States › California › Orange County
County2nd of 58 in California by approvalsFIPS 06059
SBA loans in Orange 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.
Businesses in Orange County, California, received 4,471 SBA loan approvals worth $3.30bn in FY2021 to FY2025 (3,818 7(a), 653 504).
That is 41.8 approvals per 1,000 business establishments (106,961 establishments in 2023), close to the California figure of 40.8 and close to the national 41.0.
It ranks 2nd of 58 California counties with approvals. In FY2025 there were 1,185, up 12% on FY2024.
183 lenders had approvals here; the most active were U.S. Bank, National Association (451), Wells Fargo Bank National Association (198) and Newtek Bank, National Association (183). 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 Orange County
By number of approvals to businesses in the county, FY2021–FY2025; 183 lenders had at least one.
| # | Lender | Approvals | Dollars | Share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | U.S. Bank, National AssociationCincinnati, OH | 451 | $177M | 10.1% | |
| 2 | Wells Fargo Bank National AssociationSioux Falls, SD | 198 | $120M | 4.4% | |
| 3 | Newtek Bank, National AssociationMiami, FL | 183 | $90.7M | 4.1% | |
| 4 | JPMorgan Chase Bank, National AssociationColumbus, OH | 180 | $63.6M | 4.0% | |
| 5 | Northeast BankLewiston, ME | 178 | $33.5M | 4.0% | |
| 6 | Business Finance CapitalLos Angeles, CA · CDC | 169 | $235M | 3.8% | |
| 7 | Readycap Lending, LLCBerkeley Heights, NJ | 169 | $80.1M | 3.8% | |
| 8 | The Huntington National BankColumbus, OH | 160 | $62.9M | 3.6% | |
| 9 | BayFirst National BankSaint Petersburg, FL | 160 | $23.5M | 3.6% | |
| 10 | Lendistry SBLC, LLCLos Angeles, CA | 147 | $35.5M | 3.3% | |
| 11 | California Statewide Certified Development CorporationDavis, CA · CDC | 144 | $193M | 3.2% | |
| 12 | Bank of America, National AssociationCharlotte, NC | 137 | $60.8M | 3.1% | |
| 13 | Bank of HopeLos Angeles, CA | 127 | $63.7M | 2.8% | |
| 14 | CDC Small Business Finance Corp.San Diego, CA | 121 | $22.8M | 2.7% | |
| 15 | Mortgage Capital Development CorporationOakland, CA · CDC | 98 | $152M | 2.2% |
Industries
| # | Industry group (NAICS 4-digit) | Approvals | Share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Restaurants and Other Eating PlacesNAICS 7225 | 424 | 9.5% | |
| 2 | Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting ServicesNAICS 5416 | 135 | 3.0% | |
| 3 | Building Equipment ContractorsNAICS 2382 | 129 | 2.9% | |
| 4 | Offices of Other Health PractitionersNAICS 6213 | 118 | 2.6% | |
| 5 | Offices of PhysiciansNAICS 6211 | 114 | 2.5% | |
| 6 | Automotive Repair and MaintenanceNAICS 8111 | 108 | 2.4% | |
| 7 | Accounting, Tax Preparation, Bookkeeping, and Payroll ServicesNAICS 5412 | 102 | 2.3% | |
| 8 | Computer Systems Design and Related ServicesNAICS 5415 | 99 | 2.2% | |
| 9 | Offices of DentistsNAICS 6212 | 97 | 2.2% | |
| 10 | Personal Care ServicesNAICS 8121 | 97 | 2.2% |
Sectors
| # | NAICS sector | Approvals | Share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 674 | 15.1% | |
| 2 | Retail Trade | 511 | 11.4% | |
| 3 | Construction | 499 | 11.2% | |
| 4 | Health Care and Social Assistance | 487 | 10.9% | |
| 5 | Accommodation and Food Services | 487 | 10.9% | |
| 6 | Manufacturing | 357 | 8.0% | |
| 7 | Wholesale Trade | 348 | 7.8% | |
| 8 | Other Services (except Public Administration) | 332 | 7.4% |
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* | 539 | $318M | $250K | 95 | $149M | 634 | 6,561 |
| FY2025 | 1,070 | $546M | $242K | 115 | $165M | 1,185 | 12,086 |
| FY2024 | 955 | $449M | $178K | 101 | $144M | 1,056 | 11,363 |
| FY2023 | 671 | $383M | $250K | 120 | $198M | 791 | 9,357 |
| FY2022 | 531 | $348M | $254K | 153 | $212M | 684 | 8,126 |
| FY2021 | 591 | $666M | $633K | 164 | $184M | 755 | 9,459 |
| FY2020 | 571 | $423M | $343K | 118 | $146M | 689 | 7,523 |
| FY2019 | 754 | $395M | $240K | 119 | $129M | 873 | 9,321 |
| FY2018 | 808 | $467M | $250K | 111 | $125M | 919 | 10,361 |
| FY2017 | 820 | $481M | $248K | 120 | $116M | 940 | 11,522 |
| FY2016 | 936 | $441M | $150K | 124 | $123M | 1,060 | 12,030 |
In FY2016–FY2020, the five fiscal years before the current window, the county had 4,481 approvals.
Against California and the country
| FY2021–FY2025 | Orange County | California | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Approvals | 4,471 | 42,016 | 342,825 |
| Approvals per 1,000 establishments | 41.8 | 40.8 | 41.0 |
| Median 7(a) approval | $250K | $250K | $190K |
| Median 504 approval | $1.0M | $884K | $657K |
| Average approval | $737K | $733K | $573K |
| 504 share of approvals | 14.6% | 17.2% | 11.0% |
| Jobs supported per approval, as reported | 11.3 | 11.0 | 10.5 |
| Share of state approvals | 10.6% | 100.0% | — |
Approval sizes
- $50,000 or less14.3%640
- $50,001 to $150,00019.3%862
- $150,001 to $350,00019.5%872
- $350,001 to $1 million24.8%1,109
- $1 million to $2 million11.9%531
- Over $2 million10.2%457
Age of the businesses
- Existing, more than 2 years old71.3%3,189
- New business, 2 years or less14.0%628
- Startup, loan funds will open the business7.2%320
- Change of ownership7.4%330
- Not answered0.1%4
Questions and answers
Which lenders make the most SBA loans in Orange County?
By approvals in FY2021 to FY2025: U.S. Bank, National Association (451), Wells Fargo Bank National Association (198), Newtek Bank, National Association (183), JPMorgan Chase Bank, National Association (180), Northeast Bank (178). Volume says how active a lender is, nothing about terms or service.
How large are typical SBA loans in Orange County?
The median 7(a) approval was $250K and the median 504 approval $1.0M; the California 7(a) median was $250K.
Which industries get the most SBA loans in Orange County?
Restaurants and Other Eating Places (424); Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services (135); Building Equipment Contractors (129); Offices of Other Health Practitioners (118); Offices of Physicians (114).
Is SBA lending in Orange County rising?
Approvals in the three latest complete fiscal years total 3,032, against 2,128 in the three before: rising (+42%).
How does Orange County compare with the rest of California?
41.8 approvals per 1,000 establishments against 40.8 statewide, and 4,471 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