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County16th of 92 in Illinois by approvalsFIPS 17037
SBA loans in DeKalb County, Illinois
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 DeKalb County, Illinois, received 70 SBA loan approvals worth $63.8M in FY2021 to FY2025 (60 7(a), 10 504).
That is 35.4 approvals per 1,000 business establishments (1,975 establishments in 2023), close to the Illinois figure of 38.5 and close to the national 41.0.
It ranks 16th of 92 Illinois counties with approvals. In FY2025 there were 13, down 28% on FY2024.
29 lenders had approvals here; the most active were The Huntington National Bank (19), Byline Bank (5) and Northeast Bank (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 DeKalb County
By number of approvals to businesses in the county, FY2021–FY2025; 29 lenders had at least one.
| # | Lender | Approvals | Dollars | Share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Huntington National BankColumbus, OH | 19 | $7.3M | 27.1% | |
| 2 | Byline BankChicago, IL | 5 | $5.0M | 7.1% | |
| 3 | Northeast BankLewiston, ME | 5 | $1.1M | 7.1% | |
| 4 | SomerCor 504, Inc.Chicago, IL · CDC | 4 | $13.7M | 5.7% | |
| 5 | Small Business Growth CorporationSpringfield, IL · CDC | 4 | $2.0M | 5.7% | |
| 6 | Newtek Bank, National AssociationMiami, FL | 3 | $11.0M | 4.3% | |
| 7 | GBankLas Vegas, NV | 2 | — | 2.9% | |
| 8 | Harvest Small Business Finance, LLCLaguna Hills, CA | 2 | — | 2.9% | |
| 9 | Fifth Third BankCincinnati, OH | 2 | — | 2.9% | |
| 10 | Wessex 504 CorporationArlington Heights, IL · CDC | 2 | — | 2.9% | |
| 11 | Old National BankEvansville, IN | 2 | — | 2.9% | |
| 12 | BayFirst National BankSaint Petersburg, FL | 2 | — | 2.9% | |
| 13 | PNC Bank, National AssociationWilmington, DE | 2 | — | 2.9% | |
| 14 | 1st Financial Bank USADakota Dunes, SD | 1 | — | 1.4% | |
| 15 | Merchants Bank of IndianaCarmel, IN | 1 | — | 1.4% |
Industries
| # | Industry group (NAICS 4-digit) | Approvals | Share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Restaurants and Other Eating PlacesNAICS 7225 | 19 | 27.1% | |
| 2 | Bakeries and Tortilla ManufacturingNAICS 3118 | 4 | 5.7% | |
| 3 | Traveler AccommodationNAICS 7211 | 3 | 4.3% | |
| 4 | Other Amusement and Recreation IndustriesNAICS 7139 | 3 | 4.3% | |
| 5 | Machinery, Equipment, and Supplies Merchant WholesalersNAICS 4238 | 2 | 2.9% | |
| 6 | Beer, Wine, and Liquor StoresNAICS 4453 | 2 | 2.9% | |
| 7 | Automotive Repair and MaintenanceNAICS 8111 | 2 | 2.9% | |
| 8 | Gasoline StationsNAICS 4571 | 2 | 2.9% | |
| 9 | Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages)NAICS 7224 | 2 | 2.9% | |
| 10 | Other Miscellaneous ManufacturingNAICS 3399 | 2 | 2.9% |
Sectors
| # | NAICS sector | Approvals | Share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Accommodation and Food Services | 24 | 34.3% | |
| 2 | Manufacturing | 9 | 12.9% | |
| 3 | Retail Trade | 6 | 8.6% | |
| 4 | Construction | 5 | 7.1% | |
| 5 | Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation | 5 | 7.1% | |
| 6 | Wholesale Trade | 4 | 5.7% | |
| 7 | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 4 | 5.7% | |
| 8 | Transportation and Warehousing | 3 | 4.3% |
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* | 2 | — | — | 3 | $597K | 5 | 11 |
| FY2025 | 11 | $15.4M | $865K | 2 | — | 13 | 159 |
| FY2024 | 14 | $8.3M | $150K | 4 | $10.5M | 18 | 173 |
| FY2023 | 15 | $7.5M | $221K | 0 | — | 15 | 293 |
| FY2022 | 8 | $9.7M | $219K | 2 | — | 10 | 192 |
| FY2021 | 12 | $6.7M | $350K | 2 | — | 14 | 118 |
| FY2020 | 5 | $8.5M | $625K | 3 | $1.6M | 8 | 62 |
| FY2019 | 5 | $2.8M | $130K | 3 | $2.8M | 8 | 81 |
| FY2018 | 5 | $1.0M | $150K | 1 | — | 6 | 122 |
| FY2017 | 6 | $3.0M | $338K | 9 | $5.4M | 15 | 113 |
| FY2016 | 3 | $566K | $224K | 12 | $4.3M | 15 | 66 |
In FY2016–FY2020, the five fiscal years before the current window, the county had 52 approvals.
Against Illinois and the country
| FY2021–FY2025 | DeKalb County | Illinois | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Approvals | 70 | 12,417 | 342,825 |
| Approvals per 1,000 establishments | 35.4 | 38.5 | 41.0 |
| Median 7(a) approval | $219K | $200K | $190K |
| Median 504 approval | $397K | $578K | $657K |
| Average approval | $912K | $581K | $573K |
| 504 share of approvals | 14.3% | 14.2% | 11.0% |
| Jobs supported per approval, as reported | 13.4 | 11.4 | 10.5 |
| Share of state approvals | 0.6% | 100.0% | — |
Approval sizes
- $50,000 or less12.9%9
- $50,001 to $150,00024.3%17
- $150,001 to $350,00015.7%11
- $350,001 to $1 million18.6%13
- $1 million to $2 million14.3%10
- Over $2 million14.3%10
Age of the businesses
- Existing, more than 2 years old54.3%38
- New business, 2 years or less18.6%13
- Startup, loan funds will open the business14.3%10
- Change of ownership12.9%9
Questions and answers
Which lenders make the most SBA loans in DeKalb County?
By approvals in FY2021 to FY2025: The Huntington National Bank (19), Byline Bank (5), Northeast Bank (5), SomerCor 504, Inc. (4), Small Business Growth Corporation (4). Volume says how active a lender is, nothing about terms or service.
How large are typical SBA loans in DeKalb County?
The median 7(a) approval was $219K and the median 504 approval $397K; the Illinois 7(a) median was $200K.
Which industries get the most SBA loans in DeKalb County?
Restaurants and Other Eating Places (19); Bakeries and Tortilla Manufacturing (4); Traveler Accommodation (3); Other Amusement and Recreation Industries (3); Machinery, Equipment, and Supplies Merchant Wholesalers (2).
Is SBA lending in DeKalb County rising?
Approvals in the three latest complete fiscal years total 46, against 32 in the three before: rising (+44%).
How does DeKalb County compare with the rest of Illinois?
35.4 approvals per 1,000 establishments against 38.5 statewide, and 70 of the state's 12,417 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