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County7th of 149 in Georgia by approvalsFIPS 13051
SBA loans in Chatham County, Georgia
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 Chatham County, Georgia, received 334 SBA loan approvals worth $319M in FY2021 to FY2025 (279 7(a), 55 504).
That is 37.0 approvals per 1,000 business establishments (9,037 establishments in 2023), close to the Georgia figure of 39.2 and close to the national 41.0.
It ranks 7th of 149 Georgia counties with approvals. In FY2025 there were 76, up 36% on FY2024.
83 lenders had approvals here; the most active were The Huntington National Bank (34), Small Business Assistance Corporation (30) and Small Business Assistance Corporation (23). 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 Chatham County
By number of approvals to businesses in the county, FY2021–FY2025; 83 lenders had at least one.
| # | Lender | Approvals | Dollars | Share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Huntington National BankColumbus, OH | 34 | $21.6M | 10.2% | |
| 2 | Small Business Assistance CorporationSavannah, GA · CDC | 30 | $34.1M | 9.0% | |
| 3 | Small Business Assistance CorporationSavannah, GA | 23 | $5.0M | 6.9% | |
| 4 | Wells Fargo Bank National AssociationSioux Falls, SD | 23 | $602K | 6.9% | |
| 5 | Newtek Bank, National AssociationMiami, FL | 13 | $3.7M | 3.9% | |
| 6 | Queensborough National Bank and Trust CompanyLouisville, GA | 12 | $9.1M | 3.6% | |
| 7 | Florida Business Development CorporationTampa, FL · CDC | 11 | $26.9M | 3.3% | |
| 8 | Live Oak Banking CompanyWilmington, NC | 10 | $16.7M | 3.0% | |
| 9 | SouthState Bank, National AssociationWinter Haven, FL | 9 | $4.8M | 2.7% | |
| 10 | Northeast BankLewiston, ME | 9 | $842K | 2.7% | |
| 11 | Colony BankFitzgerald, GA | 8 | $14.9M | 2.4% | |
| 12 | Renasant BankTupelo, MS | 8 | $9.5M | 2.4% | |
| 13 | BayFirst National BankSaint Petersburg, FL | 8 | $2.0M | 2.4% | |
| 14 | United Midwest Savings Bank National AssociationDe Graff, OH | 8 | $1.3M | 2.4% | |
| 15 | Coastal Area District Development Authority, Inc.Brunswick, GA | 8 | $851K | 2.4% |
Industries
| # | Industry group (NAICS 4-digit) | Approvals | Share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Restaurants and Other Eating PlacesNAICS 7225 | 51 | 15.3% | |
| 2 | Traveler AccommodationNAICS 7211 | 40 | 12.0% | |
| 3 | General Freight TruckingNAICS 4841 | 18 | 5.4% | |
| 4 | Other Specialty Trade ContractorsNAICS 2389 | 11 | 3.3% | |
| 5 | Other Personal ServicesNAICS 8129 | 10 | 3.0% | |
| 6 | Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical ServicesNAICS 5419 | 9 | 2.7% | |
| 7 | Building Equipment ContractorsNAICS 2382 | 9 | 2.7% | |
| 8 | Services to Buildings and DwellingsNAICS 5617 | 9 | 2.7% | |
| 9 | Other Amusement and Recreation IndustriesNAICS 7139 | 8 | 2.4% | |
| 10 | Offices of PhysiciansNAICS 6211 | 8 | 2.4% |
Sectors
| # | NAICS sector | Approvals | Share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Accommodation and Food Services | 98 | 29.3% | |
| 2 | Retail Trade | 35 | 10.5% | |
| 3 | Health Care and Social Assistance | 32 | 9.6% | |
| 4 | Other Services (except Public Administration) | 28 | 8.4% | |
| 5 | Construction | 27 | 8.1% | |
| 6 | Transportation and Warehousing | 27 | 8.1% | |
| 7 | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 19 | 5.7% | |
| 8 | Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 17 | 5.1% |
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 | $33.1M | $406K | 10 | $15.7M | 40 | 587 |
| FY2025 | 66 | $55.1M | $198K | 10 | $16.9M | 76 | 695 |
| FY2024 | 47 | $34.6M | $250K | 9 | $22.3M | 56 | 754 |
| FY2023 | 54 | $28.3M | $276K | 12 | $20.3M | 66 | 810 |
| FY2022 | 42 | $43.2M | $277K | 14 | $21.4M | 56 | 789 |
| FY2021 | 70 | $62.4M | $469K | 10 | $14.2M | 80 | 1,080 |
| FY2020 | 39 | $38.9M | $582K | 11 | $11.0M | 50 | 758 |
| FY2019 | 64 | $25.1M | $239K | 8 | $8.8M | 72 | 932 |
| FY2018 | 63 | $35.9M | $250K | 8 | $10.8M | 71 | 744 |
| FY2017 | 70 | $81.3M | $343K | 10 | $13.0M | 80 | 1,251 |
| FY2016 | 57 | $35.4M | $330K | 11 | $9.9M | 68 | 547 |
In FY2016–FY2020, the five fiscal years before the current window, the county had 341 approvals.
Against Georgia and the country
| FY2021–FY2025 | Chatham County | Georgia | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Approvals | 334 | 10,246 | 342,825 |
| Approvals per 1,000 establishments | 37.0 | 39.2 | 41.0 |
| Median 7(a) approval | $309K | $350K | $190K |
| Median 504 approval | $1.3M | $820K | $657K |
| Average approval | $954K | $803K | $573K |
| 504 share of approvals | 16.5% | 10.1% | 11.0% |
| Jobs supported per approval, as reported | 12.4 | 11.4 | 10.5 |
| Share of state approvals | 3.3% | 100.0% | — |
Approval sizes
- $50,000 or less12.9%43
- $50,001 to $150,00016.2%54
- $150,001 to $350,00019.8%66
- $350,001 to $1 million23.4%78
- $1 million to $2 million11.1%37
- Over $2 million16.8%56
Age of the businesses
- Existing, more than 2 years old45.8%153
- New business, 2 years or less16.2%54
- Startup, loan funds will open the business24.6%82
- Change of ownership13.2%44
- Not answered0.3%1
Questions and answers
Which lenders make the most SBA loans in Chatham County?
By approvals in FY2021 to FY2025: The Huntington National Bank (34), Small Business Assistance Corporation (30), Small Business Assistance Corporation (23), Wells Fargo Bank National Association (23), Newtek Bank, National Association (13). Volume says how active a lender is, nothing about terms or service.
How large are typical SBA loans in Chatham County?
The median 7(a) approval was $309K and the median 504 approval $1.3M; the Georgia 7(a) median was $350K.
Which industries get the most SBA loans in Chatham County?
Restaurants and Other Eating Places (51); Traveler Accommodation (40); General Freight Trucking (18); Other Specialty Trade Contractors (11); Other Personal Services (10).
Is SBA lending in Chatham County rising?
Approvals in the three latest complete fiscal years total 198, against 186 in the three before: broadly level (+6%).
How does Chatham County compare with the rest of Georgia?
37.0 approvals per 1,000 establishments against 39.2 statewide, and 334 of the state's 10,246 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