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County2nd of 107 in Kentucky by approvalsFIPS 21067
SBA loans in Fayette County, Kentucky
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 Fayette County, Kentucky, received 252 SBA loan approvals worth $112M in FY2021 to FY2025 (240 7(a), 12 504).
That is 27.1 approvals per 1,000 business establishments (9,295 establishments in 2023), close to the Kentucky figure of 27.1 and below the national 41.0.
It ranks 2nd of 107 Kentucky counties with approvals. In FY2025 there were 59, about level with FY2024.
52 lenders had approvals here; the most active were The Huntington National Bank (29), Community Trust Bank, Inc. (28) and Republic Bank & Trust Company (22). 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 Fayette County
By number of approvals to businesses in the county, FY2021–FY2025; 52 lenders had at least one.
| # | Lender | Approvals | Dollars | Share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Huntington National BankColumbus, OH | 29 | $10.5M | 11.5% | |
| 2 | Community Trust Bank, Inc.Pikeville, KY | 28 | $3.8M | 11.1% | |
| 3 | Republic Bank & Trust CompanyLouisville, KY | 22 | $7.8M | 8.7% | |
| 4 | Northeast BankLewiston, ME | 13 | $1.9M | 5.2% | |
| 5 | Stock Yards Bank & Trust CompanyLouisville, KY | 11 | $7.7M | 4.4% | |
| 6 | JPMorgan Chase Bank, National AssociationColumbus, OH | 10 | $5.3M | 4.0% | |
| 7 | U.S. Bank, National AssociationCincinnati, OH | 10 | $5.0M | 4.0% | |
| 8 | Community Ventures CorporationLexington, KY · CDC | 10 | $4.9M | 4.0% | |
| 9 | PNC Bank, National AssociationWilmington, DE | 10 | $4.8M | 4.0% | |
| 10 | Newtek Bank, National AssociationMiami, FL | 10 | $3.8M | 4.0% | |
| 11 | Old National BankEvansville, IN | 9 | $10.6M | 3.6% | |
| 12 | Live Oak Banking CompanyWilmington, NC | 9 | $8.8M | 3.6% | |
| 13 | Newtek Small Business Finance, Inc.Lake Success, NY | 8 | $1.7M | 3.2% | |
| 14 | Readycap Lending, LLCBerkeley Heights, NJ | 8 | $774K | 3.2% | |
| 15 | WesBanco Bank, Inc.Wheeling, WV | 5 | $690K | 2.0% |
Industries
| # | Industry group (NAICS 4-digit) | Approvals | Share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Restaurants and Other Eating PlacesNAICS 7225 | 27 | 10.7% | |
| 2 | Other Amusement and Recreation IndustriesNAICS 7139 | 12 | 4.8% | |
| 3 | Personal Care ServicesNAICS 8121 | 10 | 4.0% | |
| 4 | Offices of Other Health PractitionersNAICS 6213 | 9 | 3.6% | |
| 5 | Accounting, Tax Preparation, Bookkeeping, and Payroll ServicesNAICS 5412 | 9 | 3.6% | |
| 6 | Foundation, Structure, and Building Exterior ContractorsNAICS 2381 | 8 | 3.2% | |
| 7 | Other Personal ServicesNAICS 8129 | 8 | 3.2% | |
| 8 | General Freight TruckingNAICS 4841 | 8 | 3.2% | |
| 9 | Offices of PhysiciansNAICS 6211 | 7 | 2.8% | |
| 10 | Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical ServicesNAICS 5419 | 7 | 2.8% |
Sectors
| # | NAICS sector | Approvals | Share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Retail Trade | 38 | 15.1% | |
| 2 | Accommodation and Food Services | 35 | 13.9% | |
| 3 | Health Care and Social Assistance | 32 | 12.7% | |
| 4 | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 29 | 11.5% | |
| 5 | Construction | 25 | 9.9% | |
| 6 | Other Services (except Public Administration) | 21 | 8.3% | |
| 7 | Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation | 12 | 4.8% | |
| 8 | Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 12 | 4.8% |
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* | 37 | $20.4M | $350K | 3 | $834K | 40 | 416 |
| FY2025 | 58 | $28.8M | $255K | 1 | — | 59 | 732 |
| FY2024 | 54 | $22.6M | $150K | 3 | $1.7M | 57 | 575 |
| FY2023 | 43 | $13.8M | $100K | 3 | $1.6M | 46 | 883 |
| FY2022 | 41 | $18.8M | $200K | 4 | $1.8M | 45 | 607 |
| FY2021 | 44 | $23.0M | $165K | 1 | — | 45 | 505 |
| FY2020 | 27 | $14.2M | $133K | 5 | $5.1M | 32 | 253 |
| FY2019 | 34 | $6.9M | $152K | 3 | $1.7M | 37 | 312 |
| FY2018 | 50 | $13.8M | $150K | 1 | — | 51 | 495 |
| FY2017 | 50 | $13.9M | $116K | 6 | $5.6M | 56 | 639 |
| FY2016 | 58 | $18.1M | $113K | 4 | $1.9M | 62 | 447 |
In FY2016–FY2020, the five fiscal years before the current window, the county had 238 approvals.
Against Kentucky and the country
| FY2021–FY2025 | Fayette County | Kentucky | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Approvals | 252 | 2,558 | 342,825 |
| Approvals per 1,000 establishments | 27.1 | 27.1 | 41.0 |
| Median 7(a) approval | $173K | $150K | $190K |
| Median 504 approval | $352K | $495K | $657K |
| Average approval | $446K | $494K | $573K |
| 504 share of approvals | 4.8% | 5.7% | 11.0% |
| Jobs supported per approval, as reported | 13.1 | 11.0 | 10.5 |
| Share of state approvals | 9.9% | 100.0% | — |
Approval sizes
- $50,000 or less23.4%59
- $50,001 to $150,00022.2%56
- $150,001 to $350,00022.2%56
- $350,001 to $1 million20.6%52
- $1 million to $2 million6.3%16
- Over $2 million5.2%13
Age of the businesses
- Existing, more than 2 years old48.8%123
- New business, 2 years or less17.9%45
- Startup, loan funds will open the business24.2%61
- Change of ownership9.1%23
Questions and answers
Which lenders make the most SBA loans in Fayette County?
By approvals in FY2021 to FY2025: The Huntington National Bank (29), Community Trust Bank, Inc. (28), Republic Bank & Trust Company (22), Northeast Bank (13), Stock Yards Bank & Trust Company (11). Volume says how active a lender is, nothing about terms or service.
How large are typical SBA loans in Fayette County?
The median 7(a) approval was $173K and the median 504 approval $352K; the Kentucky 7(a) median was $150K.
Which industries get the most SBA loans in Fayette County?
Restaurants and Other Eating Places (27); Other Amusement and Recreation Industries (12); Personal Care Services (10); Offices of Other Health Practitioners (9); Accounting, Tax Preparation, Bookkeeping, and Payroll Services (9).
Is SBA lending in Fayette County rising?
Approvals in the three latest complete fiscal years total 162, against 122 in the three before: rising (+33%).
How does Fayette County compare with the rest of Kentucky?
27.1 approvals per 1,000 establishments against 27.1 statewide, and 252 of the state's 2,558 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