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County9th of 94 in Iowa by approvalsFIPS 19061
SBA loans in Dubuque County, Iowa
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 60 loans to businesses in Dubuque County, Iowa, in FY2021 to FY2025, worth $24.6M: 49 under 7(a) and 11 under 504.
That is 21.4 approvals per 1,000 business establishments (2,804 establishments in 2023), below the Iowa figure of 27.0 and below the national 41.0.
It ranks 9th of 94 Iowa counties with approvals. In FY2025 there were 12, down 8% on FY2024.
21 lenders had approvals here; the most active were Nicolet National Bank (13), E.C.I.A. Business Growth, Inc. (7) and U.S. Bank, National Association (6). The most common industry was offices of other health practitioners.
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 Dubuque County
By number of approvals to businesses in the county, FY2021–FY2025; 21 lenders had at least one.
| # | Lender | Approvals | Dollars | Share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nicolet National BankGreen Bay, WI | 13 | $2.9M | 21.7% | |
| 2 | E.C.I.A. Business Growth, Inc.Dubuque, IA · CDC | 7 | $3.2M | 11.7% | |
| 3 | U.S. Bank, National AssociationCincinnati, OH | 6 | $242K | 10.0% | |
| 4 | UMB Bank, National AssociationKansas City, MO | 4 | $1.1M | 6.7% | |
| 5 | Farmers State BankWaterloo, IA | 4 | $1.0M | 6.7% | |
| 6 | The Huntington National BankColumbus, OH | 4 | $759K | 6.7% | |
| 7 | Northeast BankLewiston, ME | 4 | $200K | 6.7% | |
| 8 | Iowa Business Growth CompanyJohnston, IA · CDC | 3 | $5.4M | 5.0% | |
| 9 | BayFirst National BankSaint Petersburg, FL | 3 | $354K | 5.0% | |
| 10 | Black Hawk Economic Development, Inc.Waterloo, IA · CDC | 1 | — | 1.7% | |
| 11 | Everwise Credit UnionSouth Bend, IN | 1 | — | 1.7% | |
| 12 | Hometown BankKent, OH | 1 | — | 1.7% | |
| 13 | First Western SBLC, LLCDallas, TX | 1 | — | 1.7% | |
| 14 | Celtic Bank CorporationSalt Lake City, UT | 1 | — | 1.7% | |
| 15 | Newtek Bank, National AssociationMiami, FL | 1 | — | 1.7% |
Industries
| # | Industry group (NAICS 4-digit) | Approvals | Share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Offices of Other Health PractitionersNAICS 6213 | 6 | 10.0% | |
| 2 | Other Amusement and Recreation IndustriesNAICS 7139 | 6 | 10.0% | |
| 3 | Automotive Repair and MaintenanceNAICS 8111 | 5 | 8.3% | |
| 4 | Restaurants and Other Eating PlacesNAICS 7225 | 5 | 8.3% | |
| 5 | Traveler AccommodationNAICS 7211 | 3 | 5.0% | |
| 6 | Other Personal ServicesNAICS 8129 | 3 | 5.0% | |
| 7 | Grocery StoresNAICS 4451 | 2 | 3.3% | |
| 8 | Miscellaneous Nondurable Goods Merchant WholesalersNAICS 4249 | 2 | 3.3% | |
| 9 | Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical ServicesNAICS 5419 | 2 | 3.3% | |
| 10 | Residential Building ConstructionNAICS 2361 | 2 | 3.3% |
Sectors
| # | NAICS sector | Approvals | Share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Other Services (except Public Administration) | 11 | 18.3% | |
| 2 | Accommodation and Food Services | 9 | 15.0% | |
| 3 | Retail Trade | 8 | 13.3% | |
| 4 | Health Care and Social Assistance | 6 | 10.0% | |
| 5 | Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation | 6 | 10.0% | |
| 6 | Wholesale Trade | 4 | 6.7% | |
| 7 | Transportation and Warehousing | 3 | 5.0% | |
| 8 | Construction | 3 | 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* | 3 | $1.5M | $255K | 1 | — | 4 | 99 |
| FY2025 | 10 | $1.4M | $50K | 2 | — | 12 | 165 |
| FY2024 | 11 | $1.8M | $100K | 2 | — | 13 | 90 |
| FY2023 | 7 | $2.1M | $265K | 0 | — | 7 | 68 |
| FY2022 | 13 | $3.1M | $200K | 4 | $5.2M | 17 | 117 |
| FY2021 | 8 | $5.7M | $438K | 3 | $1.5M | 11 | 143 |
| FY2020 | 4 | $815K | $145K | 4 | $6.6M | 8 | 55 |
| FY2019 | 3 | $1.0M | $350K | 2 | — | 5 | 35 |
| FY2018 | 6 | $1.5M | $176K | 4 | $1.0M | 10 | 50 |
| FY2017 | 5 | $2.5M | $168K | 0 | — | 5 | 43 |
| FY2016 | 6 | $1.1M | $50K | 2 | — | 8 | 56 |
In FY2016–FY2020, the five fiscal years before the current window, the county had 36 approvals.
Against Iowa and the country
| FY2021–FY2025 | Dubuque County | Iowa | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Approvals | 60 | 2,248 | 342,825 |
| Approvals per 1,000 establishments | 21.4 | 27.0 | 41.0 |
| Median 7(a) approval | $150K | $155K | $190K |
| Median 504 approval | $519K | $517K | $657K |
| Average approval | $409K | $474K | $573K |
| 504 share of approvals | 18.3% | 16.2% | 11.0% |
| Jobs supported per approval, as reported | 9.7 | 10.3 | 10.5 |
| Share of state approvals | 2.7% | 100.0% | — |
Approval sizes
- $50,000 or less26.7%16
- $50,001 to $150,00016.7%10
- $150,001 to $350,00018.3%11
- $350,001 to $1 million30.0%18
- $1 million to $2 million6.7%4
- Over $2 million1.7%1
Age of the businesses
- Existing, more than 2 years old41.7%25
- New business, 2 years or less18.3%11
- Startup, loan funds will open the business25.0%15
- Change of ownership15.0%9
Questions and answers
Which lenders make the most SBA loans in Dubuque County?
By approvals in FY2021 to FY2025: Nicolet National Bank (13), E.C.I.A. Business Growth, Inc. (7), U.S. Bank, National Association (6), UMB Bank, National Association (4), Farmers State Bank (4). Volume says how active a lender is, nothing about terms or service.
How large are typical SBA loans in Dubuque County?
The median 7(a) approval was $150K and the median 504 approval $519K; the Iowa 7(a) median was $155K.
Which industries get the most SBA loans in Dubuque County?
Offices of Other Health Practitioners (6); Other Amusement and Recreation Industries (6); Automotive Repair and Maintenance (5); Restaurants and Other Eating Places (5); Traveler Accommodation (3).
Is SBA lending in Dubuque County rising?
Approvals in the three latest complete fiscal years total 32, against 36 in the three before: falling (-11%).
How does Dubuque County compare with the rest of Iowa?
21.4 approvals per 1,000 establishments against 27.0 statewide, and 60 of the state's 2,248 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