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County4th of 4 in Hawaii by approvalsFIPS 15007
SBA loans in Kauai County, Hawaii
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 Kauai County, Hawaii, received 49 SBA loan approvals worth $12.5M in FY2021 to FY2025 (46 7(a), 3 504).
That is 21.5 approvals per 1,000 business establishments (2,281 establishments in 2023), below the Hawaii figure of 27.8 and below the national 41.0.
It ranks 4th of 4 Hawaii counties with approvals. In FY2025 there were 13, down 35% on FY2024.
16 lenders had approvals here; the most active were Central Pacific Bank (14), Northeast Bank (6) and Live Oak Banking Company (5). 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 Kauai County
By number of approvals to businesses in the county, FY2021–FY2025; 16 lenders had at least one.
| # | Lender | Approvals | Dollars | Share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Central Pacific BankHonolulu, HI | 14 | $480K | 28.6% | |
| 2 | Northeast BankLewiston, ME | 6 | $458K | 12.2% | |
| 3 | Live Oak Banking CompanyWilmington, NC | 5 | $4.0M | 10.2% | |
| 4 | BayFirst National BankSaint Petersburg, FL | 4 | $497K | 8.2% | |
| 5 | HEDCO Local Development CorporationHonolulu, HI · CDC | 3 | $1.7M | 6.1% | |
| 6 | Celtic Bank CorporationSalt Lake City, UT | 3 | $878K | 6.1% | |
| 7 | The Huntington National BankColumbus, OH | 2 | — | 4.1% | |
| 8 | Readycap Lending, LLCBerkeley Heights, NJ | 2 | — | 4.1% | |
| 9 | Newtek Small Business Finance, Inc.Lake Success, NY | 2 | — | 4.1% | |
| 10 | Newtek Bank, National AssociationMiami, FL | 2 | — | 4.1% | |
| 11 | First Internet Bank of IndianaFishers, IN | 1 | — | 2.0% | |
| 12 | 22nd State Bank, A Division of 22nd State Banking CompanyMobile, AL | 1 | — | 2.0% | |
| 13 | Grow America Fund, IncorporatedNew York, NY | 1 | — | 2.0% | |
| 14 | Gather FCULihue, HI | 1 | — | 2.0% | |
| 15 | GBC International BankLos Angeles, CA | 1 | — | 2.0% |
Industries
| # | Industry group (NAICS 4-digit) | Approvals | Share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Restaurants and Other Eating PlacesNAICS 7225 | 7 | 14.3% | |
| 2 | Automotive Equipment Rental and LeasingNAICS 5321 | 4 | 8.2% | |
| 3 | Other Amusement and Recreation IndustriesNAICS 7139 | 3 | 6.1% | |
| 4 | Building Equipment ContractorsNAICS 2382 | 3 | 6.1% | |
| 5 | Services to Buildings and DwellingsNAICS 5617 | 2 | 4.1% | |
| 6 | Ship and Boat BuildingNAICS 3366 | 2 | 4.1% | |
| 7 | Travel Arrangement and Reservation ServicesNAICS 5615 | 2 | 4.1% | |
| 8 | Consumer Goods RentalNAICS 5322 | 2 | 4.1% | |
| 9 | Remediation and Other Waste Management ServicesNAICS 5629 | 1 | 2.0% | |
| 10 | Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation, OtherNAICS 4879 | 1 | 2.0% |
Sectors
| # | NAICS sector | Approvals | Share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Accommodation and Food Services | 8 | 16.3% | |
| 2 | Real Estate and Rental and Leasing | 7 | 14.3% | |
| 3 | Construction | 6 | 12.2% | |
| 4 | Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 5 | 10.2% | |
| 5 | Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation | 4 | 8.2% | |
| 6 | Retail Trade | 4 | 8.2% | |
| 7 | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 4 | 8.2% | |
| 8 | Health Care and Social Assistance | 2 | 4.1% |
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* | 3 | $2.4M | $978K | 2 | — | 5 | 47 |
| FY2025 | 13 | $2.4M | $150K | 0 | — | 13 | 79 |
| FY2024 | 18 | $3.8M | $67K | 2 | — | 20 | 156 |
| FY2023 | 8 | $4.1M | $125K | 1 | — | 9 | 70 |
| FY2022 | 3 | $216K | $66K | 0 | — | 3 | 3 |
| FY2021 | 4 | $295K | $63K | 0 | — | 4 | 15 |
| FY2020 | 6 | $1.3M | $138K | 2 | — | 8 | 55 |
| FY2019 | 10 | $5.3M | $81K | 1 | — | 11 | 171 |
| FY2018 | 19 | $8.2M | $50K | 0 | — | 19 | 121 |
| FY2017 | 28 | $4.1M | $50K | 3 | $827K | 31 | 287 |
| FY2016 | 27 | $3.4M | $50K | 3 | $667K | 30 | 210 |
In FY2016–FY2020, the five fiscal years before the current window, the county had 99 approvals.
Against Hawaii and the country
| FY2021–FY2025 | Kauai County | Hawaii | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Approvals | 49 | 916 | 342,825 |
| Approvals per 1,000 establishments | 21.5 | 27.8 | 41.0 |
| Median 7(a) approval | $80K | $50K | $190K |
| Median 504 approval | $534K | $675K | $657K |
| Average approval | $255K | $321K | $573K |
| 504 share of approvals | 6.1% | 10.3% | 11.0% |
| Jobs supported per approval, as reported | 6.6 | 7.6 | 10.5 |
| Share of state approvals | 5.3% | 100.0% | — |
Approval sizes
- $50,000 or less40.8%20
- $50,001 to $150,00024.5%12
- $150,001 to $350,0008.2%4
- $350,001 to $1 million24.5%12
- Over $2 million2.0%1
Age of the businesses
- Existing, more than 2 years old73.5%36
- New business, 2 years or less10.2%5
- Startup, loan funds will open the business2.0%1
- Change of ownership14.3%7
Questions and answers
Which lenders make the most SBA loans in Kauai County?
By approvals in FY2021 to FY2025: Central Pacific Bank (14), Northeast Bank (6), Live Oak Banking Company (5), BayFirst National Bank (4), HEDCO Local Development Corporation (3). Volume says how active a lender is, nothing about terms or service.
How large are typical SBA loans in Kauai County?
The median 7(a) approval was $80K and the median 504 approval $534K; the Hawaii 7(a) median was $50K.
Which industries get the most SBA loans in Kauai County?
Restaurants and Other Eating Places (7); Automotive Equipment Rental and Leasing (4); Other Amusement and Recreation Industries (3); Building Equipment Contractors (3); Services to Buildings and Dwellings (2).
Is SBA lending in Kauai County rising?
Approvals in the three latest complete fiscal years total 42, against 15 in the three before: rising (+180%).
How does Kauai County compare with the rest of Hawaii?
21.5 approvals per 1,000 establishments against 27.8 statewide, and 49 of the state's 916 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