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County23rd of 67 in Florida by approvalsFIPS 12033
SBA loans in Escambia County, Florida
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 226 loans to businesses in Escambia County, Florida, in FY2021 to FY2025, worth $177M: 191 under 7(a) and 35 under 504.
That is 29.5 approvals per 1,000 business establishments (7,650 establishments in 2023), below the Florida figure of 41.6 and below the national 41.0.
It ranks 23rd of 67 Florida counties with approvals. In FY2025 there were 52, about level with FY2024.
62 lenders had approvals here; the most active were Live Oak Banking Company (21), Florida First Capital Finance Corporation, Inc. (21) and The Huntington National Bank (18). 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 Escambia County
By number of approvals to businesses in the county, FY2021–FY2025; 62 lenders had at least one.
| # | Lender | Approvals | Dollars | Share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Live Oak Banking CompanyWilmington, NC | 21 | $25.6M | 9.3% | |
| 2 | Florida First Capital Finance Corporation, Inc.Tallahassee, FL · CDC | 21 | $15.2M | 9.3% | |
| 3 | The Huntington National BankColumbus, OH | 18 | $7.6M | 8.0% | |
| 4 | Hancock Whitney BankGulfport, MS | 13 | $6.1M | 5.8% | |
| 5 | Florida Business Development CorporationTampa, FL · CDC | 11 | $17.0M | 4.9% | |
| 6 | Pinnacle BankNashville, TN | 11 | $16.8M | 4.9% | |
| 7 | Northeast BankLewiston, ME | 11 | $2.0M | 4.9% | |
| 8 | Renasant BankTupelo, MS | 10 | $6.4M | 4.4% | |
| 9 | Newtek Bank, National AssociationMiami, FL | 9 | $8.0M | 4.0% | |
| 10 | Wells Fargo Bank National AssociationSioux Falls, SD | 7 | $1.8M | 3.1% | |
| 11 | BayFirst National BankSaint Petersburg, FL | 7 | $972K | 3.1% | |
| 12 | Readycap Lending, LLCBerkeley Heights, NJ | 5 | $1.2M | 2.2% | |
| 13 | United Midwest Savings Bank National AssociationDe Graff, OH | 5 | $851K | 2.2% | |
| 14 | Newtek Small Business Finance, Inc.Lake Success, NY | 5 | $645K | 2.2% | |
| 15 | Regions BankBirmingham, AL | 4 | $4.0M | 1.8% |
Industries
| # | Industry group (NAICS 4-digit) | Approvals | Share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Restaurants and Other Eating PlacesNAICS 7225 | 27 | 11.9% | |
| 2 | Automotive Repair and MaintenanceNAICS 8111 | 13 | 5.8% | |
| 3 | Offices of Other Health PractitionersNAICS 6213 | 12 | 5.3% | |
| 4 | Traveler AccommodationNAICS 7211 | 10 | 4.4% | |
| 5 | Services to Buildings and DwellingsNAICS 5617 | 8 | 3.5% | |
| 6 | Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical ServicesNAICS 5419 | 8 | 3.5% | |
| 7 | Other Personal ServicesNAICS 8129 | 7 | 3.1% | |
| 8 | Other Amusement and Recreation IndustriesNAICS 7139 | 6 | 2.7% | |
| 9 | Other Specialty Trade ContractorsNAICS 2389 | 6 | 2.7% | |
| 10 | Building Equipment ContractorsNAICS 2382 | 6 | 2.7% |
Sectors
| # | NAICS sector | Approvals | Share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Accommodation and Food Services | 42 | 18.6% | |
| 2 | Health Care and Social Assistance | 32 | 14.2% | |
| 3 | Retail Trade | 29 | 12.8% | |
| 4 | Other Services (except Public Administration) | 24 | 10.6% | |
| 5 | Construction | 22 | 9.7% | |
| 6 | Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 18 | 8.0% | |
| 7 | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 14 | 6.2% | |
| 8 | Manufacturing | 13 | 5.8% |
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* | 30 | $25.4M | $350K | 5 | $1.4M | 35 | 412 |
| FY2025 | 46 | $38.1M | $238K | 6 | $11.6M | 52 | 512 |
| FY2024 | 48 | $30.3M | $278K | 7 | $4.4M | 55 | 674 |
| FY2023 | 33 | $15.6M | $418K | 11 | $12.1M | 44 | 527 |
| FY2022 | 30 | $24.0M | $307K | 8 | $9.6M | 38 | 457 |
| FY2021 | 34 | $30.3M | $408K | 3 | $1.4M | 37 | 427 |
| FY2020 | 28 | $33.7M | $591K | 6 | $4.1M | 34 | 478 |
| FY2019 | 29 | $14.6M | $350K | 9 | $4.7M | 38 | 383 |
| FY2018 | 32 | $17.6M | $259K | 10 | $10.1M | 42 | 681 |
| FY2017 | 44 | $30.0M | $288K | 7 | $3.3M | 51 | 895 |
| FY2016 | 29 | $18.0M | $297K | 11 | $4.0M | 40 | 558 |
In FY2016–FY2020, the five fiscal years before the current window, the county had 205 approvals.
Against Florida and the country
| FY2021–FY2025 | Escambia County | Florida | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Approvals | 226 | 26,882 | 342,825 |
| Approvals per 1,000 establishments | 29.5 | 41.6 | 41.0 |
| Median 7(a) approval | $329K | $240K | $190K |
| Median 504 approval | $792K | $624K | $657K |
| Average approval | $785K | $609K | $573K |
| 504 share of approvals | 15.5% | 13.4% | 11.0% |
| Jobs supported per approval, as reported | 11.5 | 10.4 | 10.5 |
| Share of state approvals | 0.8% | 100.0% | — |
Approval sizes
- $50,000 or less11.9%27
- $50,001 to $150,00014.6%33
- $150,001 to $350,00022.6%51
- $350,001 to $1 million27.0%61
- $1 million to $2 million12.8%29
- Over $2 million11.1%25
Age of the businesses
- Existing, more than 2 years old45.6%103
- New business, 2 years or less17.3%39
- Startup, loan funds will open the business22.6%51
- Change of ownership14.6%33
Questions and answers
Which lenders make the most SBA loans in Escambia County?
By approvals in FY2021 to FY2025: Live Oak Banking Company (21), Florida First Capital Finance Corporation, Inc. (21), The Huntington National Bank (18), Hancock Whitney Bank (13), Florida Business Development Corporation (11). Volume says how active a lender is, nothing about terms or service.
How large are typical SBA loans in Escambia County?
The median 7(a) approval was $329K and the median 504 approval $792K; the Florida 7(a) median was $240K.
Which industries get the most SBA loans in Escambia County?
Restaurants and Other Eating Places (27); Automotive Repair and Maintenance (13); Offices of Other Health Practitioners (12); Traveler Accommodation (10); Services to Buildings and Dwellings (8).
Is SBA lending in Escambia County rising?
Approvals in the three latest complete fiscal years total 151, against 109 in the three before: rising (+39%).
How does Escambia County compare with the rest of Florida?
29.5 approvals per 1,000 establishments against 41.6 statewide, and 226 of the state's 26,882 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