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County12th of 107 in Kentucky by approvalsFIPS 21093
SBA loans in Hardin 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 Hardin County, Kentucky, received 43 SBA loan approvals worth $34.8M in FY2021 to FY2025 (39 7(a), 4 504).
That is 19.1 approvals per 1,000 business establishments (2,253 establishments in 2023), below the Kentucky figure of 27.1 and below the national 41.0.
It ranks 12th of 107 Kentucky counties with approvals. In FY2025 there were 14.
21 lenders had approvals here; the most active were Community Trust Bank, Inc. (8), South Central Bank, Inc. (5) and The Huntington National Bank (5). The most common industry was traveler accommodation.
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 Hardin County
By number of approvals to businesses in the county, FY2021–FY2025; 21 lenders had at least one.
| # | Lender | Approvals | Dollars | Share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Community Trust Bank, Inc.Pikeville, KY | 8 | $1.4M | 18.6% | |
| 2 | South Central Bank, Inc.Glasgow, KY | 5 | $6.5M | 11.6% | |
| 3 | The Huntington National BankColumbus, OH | 5 | $1.2M | 11.6% | |
| 4 | GBankLas Vegas, NV | 3 | $7.1M | 7.0% | |
| 5 | Centerstone SBA Lending, Inc.Los Angeles, CA | 2 | — | 4.7% | |
| 6 | Capital Access Corporation - KentuckyLouisville, KY · CDC | 2 | — | 4.7% | |
| 7 | Stock Yards Bank & Trust CompanyLouisville, KY | 2 | — | 4.7% | |
| 8 | Readycap Lending, LLCBerkeley Heights, NJ | 2 | — | 4.7% | |
| 9 | Northeast BankLewiston, ME | 2 | — | 4.7% | |
| 10 | Paradise BankBoca Raton, FL | 1 | — | 2.3% | |
| 11 | First Financial BankEl Dorado, AR | 1 | — | 2.3% | |
| 12 | First Merchants BankIndianapolis, IN | 1 | — | 2.3% | |
| 13 | First Bank of the LakeOsage Beach, MO | 1 | — | 2.3% | |
| 14 | Brightbridge, Inc.Chattanooga, TN · CDC | 1 | — | 2.3% | |
| 15 | Newtek Small Business Finance, Inc.Lake Success, NY | 1 | — | 2.3% |
Industries
| # | Industry group (NAICS 4-digit) | Approvals | Share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Traveler AccommodationNAICS 7211 | 4 | 9.3% | |
| 2 | Animal Slaughtering and ProcessingNAICS 3116 | 4 | 9.3% | |
| 3 | Restaurants and Other Eating PlacesNAICS 7225 | 3 | 7.0% | |
| 4 | Clothing StoresNAICS 4481 | 3 | 7.0% | |
| 5 | Amusement Parks and ArcadesNAICS 7131 | 2 | 4.7% | |
| 6 | Automotive Repair and MaintenanceNAICS 8111 | 2 | 4.7% | |
| 7 | Other Specialty Trade ContractorsNAICS 2389 | 2 | 4.7% | |
| 8 | Residential Building ConstructionNAICS 2361 | 2 | 4.7% | |
| 9 | Lessors of Real EstateNAICS 5311 | 1 | 2.3% | |
| 10 | Building Equipment ContractorsNAICS 2382 | 1 | 2.3% |
Sectors
| # | NAICS sector | Approvals | Share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Retail Trade | 9 | 20.9% | |
| 2 | Accommodation and Food Services | 8 | 18.6% | |
| 3 | Construction | 6 | 14.0% | |
| 4 | Manufacturing | 5 | 11.6% | |
| 5 | Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation | 3 | 7.0% | |
| 6 | Other Services (except Public Administration) | 3 | 7.0% | |
| 7 | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 3 | 7.0% | |
| 8 | Real Estate and Rental and Leasing | 1 | 2.3% |
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* | 7 | $8.0M | $644K | 0 | — | 7 | 93 |
| FY2025 | 13 | $14.1M | $150K | 1 | — | 14 | 177 |
| FY2024 | 6 | $2.6M | $246K | 0 | — | 6 | 51 |
| FY2023 | 4 | $1.6M | $418K | 0 | — | 4 | 22 |
| FY2022 | 6 | $3.2M | $208K | 1 | — | 7 | 73 |
| FY2021 | 10 | $11.4M | $425K | 2 | — | 12 | 177 |
| FY2020 | 4 | $901K | $250K | 1 | — | 5 | 181 |
| FY2019 | 6 | $6.0M | $600K | 1 | — | 7 | 98 |
| FY2018 | 5 | $2.4M | $146K | 0 | — | 5 | 34 |
| FY2017 | 13 | $5.6M | $65K | 0 | — | 13 | 139 |
| FY2016 | 6 | $1.4M | $114K | 1 | — | 7 | 56 |
In FY2016–FY2020, the five fiscal years before the current window, the county had 37 approvals.
Against Kentucky and the country
| FY2021–FY2025 | Hardin County | Kentucky | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Approvals | 43 | 2,558 | 342,825 |
| Approvals per 1,000 establishments | 19.1 | 27.1 | 41.0 |
| Median 7(a) approval | $255K | $150K | $190K |
| Median 504 approval | $433K | $495K | $657K |
| Average approval | $810K | $494K | $573K |
| 504 share of approvals | 9.3% | 5.7% | 11.0% |
| Jobs supported per approval, as reported | 11.6 | 11.0 | 10.5 |
| Share of state approvals | 1.7% | 100.0% | — |
Approval sizes
- $50,000 or less9.3%4
- $50,001 to $150,00027.9%12
- $150,001 to $350,00023.3%10
- $350,001 to $1 million16.3%7
- $1 million to $2 million11.6%5
- Over $2 million11.6%5
Age of the businesses
- Existing, more than 2 years old55.8%24
- Startup, loan funds will open the business34.9%15
- Change of ownership9.3%4
Questions and answers
Which lenders make the most SBA loans in Hardin County?
By approvals in FY2021 to FY2025: Community Trust Bank, Inc. (8), South Central Bank, Inc. (5), The Huntington National Bank (5), GBank (3), Centerstone SBA Lending, Inc. (2). Volume says how active a lender is, nothing about terms or service.
How large are typical SBA loans in Hardin County?
The median 7(a) approval was $255K and the median 504 approval $433K; the Kentucky 7(a) median was $150K.
Which industries get the most SBA loans in Hardin County?
Traveler Accommodation (4); Animal Slaughtering and Processing (4); Restaurants and Other Eating Places (3); Clothing Stores (3); Amusement Parks and Arcades (2).
Is SBA lending in Hardin County rising?
Approvals in the three latest complete fiscal years total 24, against 24 in the three before: broadly level (0%).
How does Hardin County compare with the rest of Kentucky?
19.1 approvals per 1,000 establishments against 27.1 statewide, and 43 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