County2nd of 94 in Iowa by approvalsFIPS 19113
SBA loans in Linn 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 196 loans to businesses in Linn County, Iowa, in FY2021 to FY2025, worth $112M: 165 under 7(a) and 31 under 504.
That is 34.1 approvals per 1,000 business establishments (5,744 establishments in 2023), above the Iowa figure of 27.0 and below the national 41.0.
It ranks 2nd of 94 Iowa counties with approvals. In FY2025 there were 38, about level with FY2024.
48 lenders had approvals here; the most active were Iowa Business Growth Company (21), Farmers and Merchants Savings Bank (19) and Cedar Rapids Bank and Trust Company (17). 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 Linn County
By number of approvals to businesses in the county, FY2021–FY2025; 48 lenders had at least one.
| # | Lender | Approvals | Dollars | Share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Iowa Business Growth CompanyJohnston, IA · CDC | 21 | $11.5M | 10.7% | |
| 2 | Farmers and Merchants Savings BankManchester, IA | 19 | $6.2M | 9.7% | |
| 3 | Cedar Rapids Bank and Trust CompanyCedar Rapids, IA | 17 | $14.5M | 8.7% | |
| 4 | Fairfax State Savings BankFairfax, IA | 15 | $3.1M | 7.7% | |
| 5 | Hills Bank and Trust CompanyHills, IA | 14 | $1.3M | 7.1% | |
| 6 | U.S. Bank, National AssociationCincinnati, OH | 13 | $752K | 6.6% | |
| 7 | Farmers State BankMarion, IA | 11 | $2.4M | 5.6% | |
| 8 | Lincoln Savings BankReinbeck, IA | 6 | $1.3M | 3.1% | |
| 9 | Bankers Trust CompanyDes Moines, IA | 6 | $740K | 3.1% | |
| 10 | Community Savings BankEdgewood, IA | 4 | $7.5M | 2.0% | |
| 11 | Nicolet National BankGreen Bay, WI | 4 | $3.5M | 2.0% | |
| 12 | The Huntington National BankColumbus, OH | 4 | $1.8M | 2.0% | |
| 13 | Wells Fargo Bank National AssociationSioux Falls, SD | 4 | $922K | 2.0% | |
| 14 | Dakota Business FinanceSioux Falls, SD · CDC | 3 | $4.6M | 1.5% | |
| 15 | Colony BankFitzgerald, GA | 3 | $4.5M | 1.5% |
Industries
| # | Industry group (NAICS 4-digit) | Approvals | Share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Restaurants and Other Eating PlacesNAICS 7225 | 26 | 13.3% | |
| 2 | Personal Care ServicesNAICS 8121 | 11 | 5.6% | |
| 3 | Other Personal ServicesNAICS 8129 | 10 | 5.1% | |
| 4 | Services to Buildings and DwellingsNAICS 5617 | 10 | 5.1% | |
| 5 | Traveler AccommodationNAICS 7211 | 6 | 3.1% | |
| 6 | General Rental CentersNAICS 5323 | 6 | 3.1% | |
| 7 | Other Schools and InstructionNAICS 6116 | 6 | 3.1% | |
| 8 | Building Finishing ContractorsNAICS 2383 | 6 | 3.1% | |
| 9 | Other Amusement and Recreation IndustriesNAICS 7139 | 5 | 2.6% | |
| 10 | Automotive Repair and MaintenanceNAICS 8111 | 5 | 2.6% |
Sectors
| # | NAICS sector | Approvals | Share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Accommodation and Food Services | 33 | 16.8% | |
| 2 | Other Services (except Public Administration) | 27 | 13.8% | |
| 3 | Retail Trade | 24 | 12.2% | |
| 4 | Construction | 18 | 9.2% | |
| 5 | Manufacturing | 15 | 7.7% | |
| 6 | Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 12 | 6.1% | |
| 7 | Real Estate and Rental and Leasing | 11 | 5.6% | |
| 8 | Health Care and Social Assistance | 11 | 5.6% |
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* | 20 | $6.2M | $208K | 3 | $834K | 23 | 244 |
| FY2025 | 33 | $14.0M | $150K | 5 | $4.6M | 38 | 245 |
| FY2024 | 39 | $15.8M | $150K | 1 | — | 40 | 664 |
| FY2023 | 33 | $10.3M | $100K | 7 | $5.3M | 40 | 445 |
| FY2022 | 25 | $12.0M | $250K | 11 | $11.4M | 36 | 705 |
| FY2021 | 35 | $31.9M | $300K | 7 | $2.5M | 42 | 930 |
| FY2020 | 42 | $36.8M | $400K | 8 | $4.3M | 50 | 1,238 |
| FY2019 | 43 | $17.4M | $150K | 3 | $1.1M | 46 | 481 |
| FY2018 | 29 | $6.8M | $175K | 6 | $6.5M | 35 | 395 |
| FY2017 | 58 | $18.5M | $120K | 5 | $1.3M | 63 | 515 |
| FY2016 | 50 | $15.5M | $147K | 5 | $2.4M | 55 | 772 |
In FY2016–FY2020, the five fiscal years before the current window, the county had 249 approvals.
Against Iowa and the country
| FY2021–FY2025 | Linn County | Iowa | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Approvals | 196 | 2,248 | 342,825 |
| Approvals per 1,000 establishments | 34.1 | 27.0 | 41.0 |
| Median 7(a) approval | $166K | $155K | $190K |
| Median 504 approval | $519K | $517K | $657K |
| Average approval | $574K | $474K | $573K |
| 504 share of approvals | 15.8% | 16.2% | 11.0% |
| Jobs supported per approval, as reported | 15.3 | 10.3 | 10.5 |
| Share of state approvals | 8.7% | 100.0% | — |
Approval sizes
- $50,000 or less14.3%28
- $50,001 to $150,00027.6%54
- $150,001 to $350,00023.5%46
- $350,001 to $1 million19.4%38
- $1 million to $2 million6.1%12
- Over $2 million9.2%18
Age of the businesses
- Existing, more than 2 years old38.8%76
- New business, 2 years or less23.0%45
- Startup, loan funds will open the business25.5%50
- Change of ownership12.8%25
Questions and answers
Which lenders make the most SBA loans in Linn County?
By approvals in FY2021 to FY2025: Iowa Business Growth Company (21), Farmers and Merchants Savings Bank (19), Cedar Rapids Bank and Trust Company (17), Fairfax State Savings Bank (15), Hills Bank and Trust Company (14). Volume says how active a lender is, nothing about terms or service.
How large are typical SBA loans in Linn County?
The median 7(a) approval was $166K and the median 504 approval $519K; the Iowa 7(a) median was $155K.
Which industries get the most SBA loans in Linn County?
Restaurants and Other Eating Places (26); Personal Care Services (11); Other Personal Services (10); Services to Buildings and Dwellings (10); Traveler Accommodation (6).
Is SBA lending in Linn County rising?
Approvals in the three latest complete fiscal years total 118, against 128 in the three before: broadly level (-8%).
How does Linn County compare with the rest of Iowa?
34.1 approvals per 1,000 establishments against 27.0 statewide, and 196 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