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County24th of 67 in Florida by approvalsFIPS 12091
SBA loans in Okaloosa 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 221 loans to businesses in Okaloosa County, Florida, in FY2021 to FY2025, worth $154M: 178 under 7(a) and 43 under 504.
That is 36.8 approvals per 1,000 business establishments (6,011 establishments in 2023), close to the Florida figure of 41.6 and close to the national 41.0.
It ranks 24th of 67 Florida counties with approvals. In FY2025 there were 50, about level with FY2024.
56 lenders had approvals here; the most active were Florida Business Development Corporation (31), The Huntington National Bank (19) and Hancock Whitney Bank (15). 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 Okaloosa County
By number of approvals to businesses in the county, FY2021–FY2025; 56 lenders had at least one.
| # | Lender | Approvals | Dollars | Share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Florida Business Development CorporationTampa, FL · CDC | 31 | $19.1M | 14.0% | |
| 2 | The Huntington National BankColumbus, OH | 19 | $7.8M | 8.6% | |
| 3 | Hancock Whitney BankGulfport, MS | 15 | $7.1M | 6.8% | |
| 4 | Live Oak Banking CompanyWilmington, NC | 14 | $22.1M | 6.3% | |
| 5 | Community Bank of MississippiFlowood, MS | 12 | $1.7M | 5.4% | |
| 6 | Newtek Bank, National AssociationMiami, FL | 11 | $7.4M | 5.0% | |
| 7 | Florida First Capital Finance Corporation, Inc.Tallahassee, FL · CDC | 9 | $6.2M | 4.1% | |
| 8 | BayFirst National BankSaint Petersburg, FL | 8 | $999K | 3.6% | |
| 9 | Wells Fargo Bank National AssociationSioux Falls, SD | 7 | $765K | 3.2% | |
| 10 | SouthState Bank, National AssociationWinter Haven, FL | 6 | $1.7M | 2.7% | |
| 11 | First Internet Bank of IndianaFishers, IN | 5 | $11.0M | 2.3% | |
| 12 | Readycap Lending, LLCBerkeley Heights, NJ | 5 | $1.2M | 2.3% | |
| 13 | United Midwest Savings Bank National AssociationDe Graff, OH | 5 | $725K | 2.3% | |
| 14 | First Bank of the LakeOsage Beach, MO | 4 | $5.9M | 1.8% | |
| 15 | Celtic Bank CorporationSalt Lake City, UT | 4 | $3.5M | 1.8% |
Industries
| # | Industry group (NAICS 4-digit) | Approvals | Share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Restaurants and Other Eating PlacesNAICS 7225 | 31 | 14.0% | |
| 2 | Services to Buildings and DwellingsNAICS 5617 | 12 | 5.4% | |
| 3 | Other Amusement and Recreation IndustriesNAICS 7139 | 10 | 4.5% | |
| 4 | Activities Related to Real EstateNAICS 5313 | 10 | 4.5% | |
| 5 | Traveler AccommodationNAICS 7211 | 9 | 4.1% | |
| 6 | Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation, WaterNAICS 4872 | 9 | 4.1% | |
| 7 | Personal Care ServicesNAICS 8121 | 9 | 4.1% | |
| 8 | Residential Building ConstructionNAICS 2361 | 8 | 3.6% | |
| 9 | Other Personal ServicesNAICS 8129 | 7 | 3.2% | |
| 10 | Consumer Goods RentalNAICS 5322 | 6 | 2.7% |
Sectors
| # | NAICS sector | Approvals | Share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Accommodation and Food Services | 43 | 19.5% | |
| 2 | Retail Trade | 25 | 11.3% | |
| 3 | Construction | 23 | 10.4% | |
| 4 | Other Services (except Public Administration) | 23 | 10.4% | |
| 5 | Real Estate and Rental and Leasing | 19 | 8.6% | |
| 6 | Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 18 | 8.1% | |
| 7 | Health Care and Social Assistance | 16 | 7.2% | |
| 8 | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 14 | 6.3% |
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* | 26 | $20.6M | $298K | 7 | $2.7M | 33 | 332 |
| FY2025 | 36 | $22.5M | $279K | 14 | $11.2M | 50 | 481 |
| FY2024 | 43 | $23.1M | $260K | 9 | $4.6M | 52 | 382 |
| FY2023 | 37 | $19.4M | $280K | 2 | — | 39 | 586 |
| FY2022 | 20 | $9.4M | $246K | 8 | $3.4M | 28 | 214 |
| FY2021 | 42 | $52.8M | $470K | 10 | $6.0M | 52 | 682 |
| FY2020 | 16 | $13.1M | $366K | 7 | $3.9M | 23 | 514 |
| FY2019 | 30 | $25.8M | $311K | 6 | $7.5M | 36 | 428 |
| FY2018 | 42 | $26.0M | $105K | 6 | $2.2M | 48 | 500 |
| FY2017 | 35 | $15.3M | $150K | 5 | $5.1M | 40 | 350 |
| FY2016 | 50 | $18.7M | $117K | 2 | — | 52 | 809 |
In FY2016–FY2020, the five fiscal years before the current window, the county had 199 approvals.
Against Florida and the country
| FY2021–FY2025 | Okaloosa County | Florida | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Approvals | 221 | 26,882 | 342,825 |
| Approvals per 1,000 establishments | 36.8 | 41.6 | 41.0 |
| Median 7(a) approval | $308K | $240K | $190K |
| Median 504 approval | $383K | $624K | $657K |
| Average approval | $699K | $609K | $573K |
| 504 share of approvals | 19.5% | 13.4% | 11.0% |
| Jobs supported per approval, as reported | 10.6 | 10.4 | 10.5 |
| Share of state approvals | 0.8% | 100.0% | — |
Approval sizes
- $50,000 or less12.2%27
- $50,001 to $150,00017.2%38
- $150,001 to $350,00026.7%59
- $350,001 to $1 million24.4%54
- $1 million to $2 million10.9%24
- Over $2 million8.6%19
Age of the businesses
- Existing, more than 2 years old47.1%104
- New business, 2 years or less14.5%32
- Startup, loan funds will open the business25.8%57
- Change of ownership12.7%28
Questions and answers
Which lenders make the most SBA loans in Okaloosa County?
By approvals in FY2021 to FY2025: Florida Business Development Corporation (31), The Huntington National Bank (19), Hancock Whitney Bank (15), Live Oak Banking Company (14), Community Bank of Mississippi (12). Volume says how active a lender is, nothing about terms or service.
How large are typical SBA loans in Okaloosa County?
The median 7(a) approval was $308K and the median 504 approval $383K; the Florida 7(a) median was $240K.
Which industries get the most SBA loans in Okaloosa County?
Restaurants and Other Eating Places (31); Services to Buildings and Dwellings (12); Other Amusement and Recreation Industries (10); Activities Related to Real Estate (10); Traveler Accommodation (9).
Is SBA lending in Okaloosa County rising?
Approvals in the three latest complete fiscal years total 141, against 103 in the three before: rising (+37%).
How does Okaloosa County compare with the rest of Florida?
36.8 approvals per 1,000 establishments against 41.6 statewide, and 221 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