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County38th of 149 in Georgia by approvalsFIPS 13313
SBA loans in Whitfield 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 Whitfield County, Georgia, received 44 SBA loan approvals worth $37.7M in FY2021 to FY2025 (39 7(a), 5 504).
That is 18.5 approvals per 1,000 business establishments (2,373 establishments in 2023), below the Georgia figure of 39.2 and below the national 41.0.
It ranks 38th of 149 Georgia counties with approvals. In FY2025 there were 14.
22 lenders had approvals here; the most active were Builtwell Bank (12), Capital Partners Certified Development Company (4) and The Huntington National Bank (4). 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 Whitfield County
By number of approvals to businesses in the county, FY2021–FY2025; 22 lenders had at least one.
| # | Lender | Approvals | Dollars | Share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Builtwell BankChattanooga, TN | 12 | $7.5M | 27.3% | |
| 2 | Capital Partners Certified Development CompanyAtlanta, GA · CDC | 4 | $3.7M | 9.1% | |
| 3 | The Huntington National BankColumbus, OH | 4 | $2.6M | 9.1% | |
| 4 | Oconee State BankWatkinsville, GA | 2 | — | 4.5% | |
| 5 | LGE Community CUAtlanta, GA | 2 | — | 4.5% | |
| 6 | Readycap Lending, LLCBerkeley Heights, NJ | 2 | — | 4.5% | |
| 7 | Newtek Bank, National AssociationMiami, FL | 2 | — | 4.5% | |
| 8 | Wells Fargo Bank National AssociationSioux Falls, SD | 2 | — | 4.5% | |
| 9 | Celtic Bank CorporationSalt Lake City, UT | 1 | — | 2.3% | |
| 10 | Live Oak Banking CompanyWilmington, NC | 1 | — | 2.3% | |
| 11 | PromiseOne BankDuluth, GA | 1 | — | 2.3% | |
| 12 | Millennium BankOoltewah, TN | 1 | — | 2.3% | |
| 13 | TowneBankPortsmouth, VA | 1 | — | 2.3% | |
| 14 | The Bancorp Bank National AssociationSioux Falls, SD | 1 | — | 2.3% | |
| 15 | SouthState Bank, National AssociationWinter Haven, FL | 1 | — | 2.3% |
Industries
| # | Industry group (NAICS 4-digit) | Approvals | Share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Restaurants and Other Eating PlacesNAICS 7225 | 5 | 11.4% | |
| 2 | Gasoline StationsNAICS 4471 | 4 | 9.1% | |
| 3 | Traveler AccommodationNAICS 7211 | 2 | 4.5% | |
| 4 | Lessors of Real EstateNAICS 5311 | 2 | 4.5% | |
| 5 | Grocery StoresNAICS 4451 | 2 | 4.5% | |
| 6 | Other Wood Product ManufacturingNAICS 3219 | 2 | 4.5% | |
| 7 | General Freight TruckingNAICS 4841 | 2 | 4.5% | |
| 8 | Nursing Care Facilities (Skilled Nursing Facilities)NAICS 6231 | 2 | 4.5% | |
| 9 | Beer, Wine, and Liquor StoresNAICS 4453 | 2 | 4.5% | |
| 10 | Residential Building ConstructionNAICS 2361 | 2 | 4.5% |
Sectors
| # | NAICS sector | Approvals | Share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Retail Trade | 11 | 25.0% | |
| 2 | Accommodation and Food Services | 7 | 15.9% | |
| 3 | Manufacturing | 5 | 11.4% | |
| 4 | Construction | 5 | 11.4% | |
| 5 | Real Estate and Rental and Leasing | 3 | 6.8% | |
| 6 | Transportation and Warehousing | 3 | 6.8% | |
| 7 | Other Services (except Public Administration) | 3 | 6.8% | |
| 8 | Wholesale Trade | 2 | 4.5% |
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* | 4 | $922K | $215K | 0 | — | 4 | 17 |
| FY2025 | 10 | $5.9M | $313K | 4 | $2.8M | 14 | 291 |
| FY2024 | 6 | $5.6M | $460K | 0 | — | 6 | 34 |
| FY2023 | 3 | $990K | $286K | 0 | — | 3 | 32 |
| FY2022 | 4 | $3.5M | $897K | 1 | — | 5 | 64 |
| FY2021 | 16 | $17.1M | $697K | 0 | — | 16 | 117 |
| FY2020 | 14 | $16.8M | $625K | 5 | $3.4M | 19 | 392 |
| FY2019 | 7 | $5.1M | $400K | 0 | — | 7 | 64 |
| FY2018 | 12 | $7.4M | $698K | 1 | — | 13 | 184 |
| FY2017 | 14 | $10.8M | $533K | 0 | — | 14 | 141 |
| FY2016 | 14 | $8.7M | $378K | 0 | — | 14 | 300 |
In FY2016–FY2020, the five fiscal years before the current window, the county had 67 approvals.
Against Georgia and the country
| FY2021–FY2025 | Whitfield County | Georgia | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Approvals | 44 | 10,246 | 342,825 |
| Approvals per 1,000 establishments | 18.5 | 39.2 | 41.0 |
| Median 7(a) approval | $464K | $350K | $190K |
| Median 504 approval | $848K | $820K | $657K |
| Average approval | $856K | $803K | $573K |
| 504 share of approvals | 11.4% | 10.1% | 11.0% |
| Jobs supported per approval, as reported | 12.2 | 11.4 | 10.5 |
| Share of state approvals | 0.4% | 100.0% | — |
Approval sizes
- $50,000 or less11.4%5
- $50,001 to $150,0009.1%4
- $150,001 to $350,00015.9%7
- $350,001 to $1 million36.4%16
- $1 million to $2 million18.2%8
- Over $2 million9.1%4
Age of the businesses
- Existing, more than 2 years old50.0%22
- New business, 2 years or less22.7%10
- Startup, loan funds will open the business22.7%10
- Change of ownership4.5%2
Questions and answers
Which lenders make the most SBA loans in Whitfield County?
By approvals in FY2021 to FY2025: Builtwell Bank (12), Capital Partners Certified Development Company (4), The Huntington National Bank (4), Oconee State Bank (2), LGE Community CU (2). Volume says how active a lender is, nothing about terms or service.
How large are typical SBA loans in Whitfield County?
The median 7(a) approval was $464K and the median 504 approval $848K; the Georgia 7(a) median was $350K.
Which industries get the most SBA loans in Whitfield County?
Restaurants and Other Eating Places (5); Gasoline Stations (4); Traveler Accommodation (2); Lessors of Real Estate (2); Grocery Stores (2).
Is SBA lending in Whitfield County rising?
Approvals in the three latest complete fiscal years total 23, against 40 in the three before: falling (-42%).
How does Whitfield County compare with the rest of Georgia?
18.5 approvals per 1,000 establishments against 39.2 statewide, and 44 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