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County6th of 149 in Georgia by approvalsFIPS 13057
SBA loans in Cherokee 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 Cherokee County, Georgia, received 337 SBA loan approvals worth $257M in FY2021 to FY2025 (300 7(a), 37 504).
That is 51.5 approvals per 1,000 business establishments (6,550 establishments in 2023), above the Georgia figure of 39.2 and above the national 41.0.
It ranks 6th of 149 Georgia counties with approvals. In FY2025 there were 105, up 67% on FY2024.
84 lenders had approvals here; the most active were The Huntington National Bank (23), Florida Business Development Corporation (17) and Wells Fargo Bank National Association (16). 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 Cherokee County
By number of approvals to businesses in the county, FY2021–FY2025; 84 lenders had at least one.
| # | Lender | Approvals | Dollars | Share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Huntington National BankColumbus, OH | 23 | $11.3M | 6.8% | |
| 2 | Florida Business Development CorporationTampa, FL · CDC | 17 | $19.9M | 5.0% | |
| 3 | Wells Fargo Bank National AssociationSioux Falls, SD | 16 | $972K | 4.7% | |
| 4 | Newtek Bank, National AssociationMiami, FL | 15 | $4.2M | 4.5% | |
| 5 | Readycap Lending, LLCBerkeley Heights, NJ | 15 | $3.2M | 4.5% | |
| 6 | JPMorgan Chase Bank, National AssociationColumbus, OH | 13 | $5.8M | 3.9% | |
| 7 | United Midwest Savings Bank National AssociationDe Graff, OH | 12 | $1.6M | 3.6% | |
| 8 | Capital Partners Certified Development CompanyAtlanta, GA · CDC | 11 | $18.4M | 3.3% | |
| 9 | BayFirst National BankSaint Petersburg, FL | 11 | $2.2M | 3.3% | |
| 10 | Live Oak Banking CompanyWilmington, NC | 10 | $12.7M | 3.0% | |
| 11 | Northeast BankLewiston, ME | 10 | $1.1M | 3.0% | |
| 12 | Citizens BankElizabethton, TN | 9 | $4.8M | 2.7% | |
| 13 | Small Business Access Partners, Inc.Gainesville, GA · CDC | 8 | $6.8M | 2.4% | |
| 14 | United Community BankGreenville, SC | 8 | $5.4M | 2.4% | |
| 15 | LGE Community CUAtlanta, GA | 7 | $9.1M | 2.1% |
Industries
| # | Industry group (NAICS 4-digit) | Approvals | Share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Restaurants and Other Eating PlacesNAICS 7225 | 35 | 10.4% | |
| 2 | Offices of Other Health PractitionersNAICS 6213 | 21 | 6.2% | |
| 3 | Other Amusement and Recreation IndustriesNAICS 7139 | 16 | 4.7% | |
| 4 | Residential Building ConstructionNAICS 2361 | 14 | 4.2% | |
| 5 | Building Finishing ContractorsNAICS 2383 | 13 | 3.9% | |
| 6 | Beer, Wine, and Liquor StoresNAICS 4453 | 11 | 3.3% | |
| 7 | Child Day Care ServicesNAICS 6244 | 10 | 3.0% | |
| 8 | Agencies, Brokerages, and Other Insurance Related ActivitiesNAICS 5242 | 10 | 3.0% | |
| 9 | Automotive Repair and MaintenanceNAICS 8111 | 8 | 2.4% | |
| 10 | Personal Care ServicesNAICS 8121 | 8 | 2.4% |
Sectors
| # | NAICS sector | Approvals | Share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Retail Trade | 47 | 13.9% | |
| 2 | Construction | 47 | 13.9% | |
| 3 | Accommodation and Food Services | 45 | 13.4% | |
| 4 | Health Care and Social Assistance | 45 | 13.4% | |
| 5 | Other Services (except Public Administration) | 30 | 8.9% | |
| 6 | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 23 | 6.8% | |
| 7 | Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 21 | 6.2% | |
| 8 | Manufacturing | 17 | 5.0% |
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* | 47 | $18.0M | $210K | 4 | $8.6M | 51 | 323 |
| FY2025 | 95 | $78.5M | $367K | 10 | $21.7M | 105 | 1,083 |
| FY2024 | 58 | $29.4M | $199K | 5 | $7.2M | 63 | 628 |
| FY2023 | 54 | $37.1M | $293K | 4 | $3.6M | 58 | 778 |
| FY2022 | 42 | $23.3M | $330K | 10 | $7.1M | 52 | 604 |
| FY2021 | 51 | $38.7M | $466K | 8 | $9.9M | 59 | 636 |
| FY2020 | 49 | $36.8M | $350K | 5 | $2.3M | 54 | 485 |
| FY2019 | 44 | $30.7M | $257K | 4 | $4.4M | 48 | 567 |
| FY2018 | 54 | $35.3M | $350K | 3 | $2.2M | 57 | 672 |
| FY2017 | 47 | $30.4M | $281K | 4 | $6.6M | 51 | 517 |
| FY2016 | 61 | $34.1M | $230K | 4 | $12.7M | 65 | 841 |
In FY2016–FY2020, the five fiscal years before the current window, the county had 275 approvals.
Against Georgia and the country
| FY2021–FY2025 | Cherokee County | Georgia | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Approvals | 337 | 10,246 | 342,825 |
| Approvals per 1,000 establishments | 51.5 | 39.2 | 41.0 |
| Median 7(a) approval | $308K | $350K | $190K |
| Median 504 approval | $1.1M | $820K | $657K |
| Average approval | $761K | $803K | $573K |
| 504 share of approvals | 11.0% | 10.1% | 11.0% |
| Jobs supported per approval, as reported | 11.1 | 11.4 | 10.5 |
| Share of state approvals | 3.3% | 100.0% | — |
Approval sizes
- $50,000 or less13.1%44
- $50,001 to $150,00017.5%59
- $150,001 to $350,00020.2%68
- $350,001 to $1 million28.8%97
- $1 million to $2 million10.7%36
- Over $2 million9.8%33
Age of the businesses
- Existing, more than 2 years old48.1%162
- New business, 2 years or less13.1%44
- Startup, loan funds will open the business29.7%100
- Change of ownership9.2%31
Questions and answers
Which lenders make the most SBA loans in Cherokee County?
By approvals in FY2021 to FY2025: The Huntington National Bank (23), Florida Business Development Corporation (17), Wells Fargo Bank National Association (16), Newtek Bank, National Association (15), Readycap Lending, LLC (15). Volume says how active a lender is, nothing about terms or service.
How large are typical SBA loans in Cherokee County?
The median 7(a) approval was $308K and the median 504 approval $1.1M; the Georgia 7(a) median was $350K.
Which industries get the most SBA loans in Cherokee County?
Restaurants and Other Eating Places (35); Offices of Other Health Practitioners (21); Other Amusement and Recreation Industries (16); Residential Building Construction (14); Building Finishing Contractors (13).
Is SBA lending in Cherokee County rising?
Approvals in the three latest complete fiscal years total 226, against 165 in the three before: rising (+37%).
How does Cherokee County compare with the rest of Georgia?
51.5 approvals per 1,000 establishments against 39.2 statewide, and 337 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