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County3rd of 107 in Kentucky by approvalsFIPS 21117
SBA loans in Kenton 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.
SBA approved 195 loans to businesses in Kenton County, Kentucky, in FY2021 to FY2025, worth $91.8M: 186 under 7(a) and 9 under 504.
That is 59.1 approvals per 1,000 business establishments (3,297 establishments in 2023), above the Kentucky figure of 27.1 and above the national 41.0.
It ranks 3rd of 107 Kentucky counties with approvals. In FY2025 there were 41, down 21% on FY2024.
32 lenders had approvals here; the most active were The Huntington National Bank (78), U.S. Bank, National Association (25) and Stock Yards Bank & Trust Company (11). 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 Kenton County
By number of approvals to businesses in the county, FY2021–FY2025; 32 lenders had at least one.
| # | Lender | Approvals | Dollars | Share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Huntington National BankColumbus, OH | 78 | $22.9M | 40.0% | |
| 2 | U.S. Bank, National AssociationCincinnati, OH | 25 | $1.8M | 12.8% | |
| 3 | Stock Yards Bank & Trust CompanyLouisville, KY | 11 | $11.5M | 5.6% | |
| 4 | Republic Bank & Trust CompanyLouisville, KY | 10 | $10.8M | 5.1% | |
| 5 | Alloy Development Co., Inc.Cincinnati, OH · CDC | 8 | $3.8M | 4.1% | |
| 6 | First Financial BankCincinnati, OH | 7 | $2.3M | 3.6% | |
| 7 | Northeast BankLewiston, ME | 7 | $784K | 3.6% | |
| 8 | Heritage Bank IncBurlington, KY | 6 | $9.6M | 3.1% | |
| 9 | First Commonwealth BankIndiana, PA | 5 | $2.3M | 2.6% | |
| 10 | BayFirst National BankSaint Petersburg, FL | 5 | $595K | 2.6% | |
| 11 | Celtic Bank CorporationSalt Lake City, UT | 3 | $1.1M | 1.5% | |
| 12 | United Midwest Savings Bank National AssociationDe Graff, OH | 2 | — | 1.0% | |
| 13 | First Western SBLC, LLCDallas, TX | 2 | — | 1.0% | |
| 14 | Fifth Third BankCincinnati, OH | 2 | — | 1.0% | |
| 15 | Newtek Small Business Finance, Inc.Lake Success, NY | 2 | — | 1.0% |
Industries
| # | Industry group (NAICS 4-digit) | Approvals | Share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Restaurants and Other Eating PlacesNAICS 7225 | 15 | 7.7% | |
| 2 | Offices of Other Health PractitionersNAICS 6213 | 14 | 7.2% | |
| 3 | Building Equipment ContractorsNAICS 2382 | 9 | 4.6% | |
| 4 | General Freight TruckingNAICS 4841 | 9 | 4.6% | |
| 5 | Residential Building ConstructionNAICS 2361 | 8 | 4.1% | |
| 6 | Services to Buildings and DwellingsNAICS 5617 | 8 | 4.1% | |
| 7 | Other Amusement and Recreation IndustriesNAICS 7139 | 7 | 3.6% | |
| 8 | Other Specialty Trade ContractorsNAICS 2389 | 7 | 3.6% | |
| 9 | Accounting, Tax Preparation, Bookkeeping, and Payroll ServicesNAICS 5412 | 6 | 3.1% | |
| 10 | Special Food ServicesNAICS 7223 | 5 | 2.6% |
Sectors
| # | NAICS sector | Approvals | Share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Construction | 36 | 18.5% | |
| 2 | Accommodation and Food Services | 24 | 12.3% | |
| 3 | Health Care and Social Assistance | 23 | 11.8% | |
| 4 | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 21 | 10.8% | |
| 5 | Other Services (except Public Administration) | 14 | 7.2% | |
| 6 | Retail Trade | 14 | 7.2% | |
| 7 | Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 11 | 5.6% | |
| 8 | Manufacturing | 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* | 17 | $6.4M | $136K | 0 | — | 17 | 95 |
| FY2025 | 41 | $19.0M | $150K | 0 | — | 41 | 383 |
| FY2024 | 49 | $15.7M | $100K | 3 | $1.6M | 52 | 333 |
| FY2023 | 39 | $8.4M | $75K | 1 | — | 40 | 339 |
| FY2022 | 21 | $14.3M | $225K | 3 | $975K | 24 | 329 |
| FY2021 | 36 | $25.7M | $233K | 2 | — | 38 | 346 |
| FY2020 | 34 | $9.7M | $86K | 2 | — | 36 | 279 |
| FY2019 | 32 | $8.3M | $103K | 0 | — | 32 | 277 |
| FY2018 | 35 | $23.8M | $175K | 1 | — | 36 | 538 |
| FY2017 | 46 | $16.0M | $73K | 2 | — | 48 | 446 |
| FY2016 | 46 | $15.7M | $50K | 0 | — | 46 | 429 |
In FY2016–FY2020, the five fiscal years before the current window, the county had 198 approvals.
Against Kentucky and the country
| FY2021–FY2025 | Kenton County | Kentucky | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Approvals | 195 | 2,558 | 342,825 |
| Approvals per 1,000 establishments | 59.1 | 27.1 | 41.0 |
| Median 7(a) approval | $150K | $150K | $190K |
| Median 504 approval | $348K | $495K | $657K |
| Average approval | $471K | $494K | $573K |
| 504 share of approvals | 4.6% | 5.7% | 11.0% |
| Jobs supported per approval, as reported | 8.9 | 11.0 | 10.5 |
| Share of state approvals | 7.6% | 100.0% | — |
Approval sizes
- $50,000 or less32.8%64
- $50,001 to $150,00021.5%42
- $150,001 to $350,00016.9%33
- $350,001 to $1 million16.9%33
- $1 million to $2 million5.6%11
- Over $2 million6.2%12
Age of the businesses
- Existing, more than 2 years old61.0%119
- New business, 2 years or less11.3%22
- Startup, loan funds will open the business20.0%39
- Change of ownership7.7%15
Questions and answers
Which lenders make the most SBA loans in Kenton County?
By approvals in FY2021 to FY2025: The Huntington National Bank (78), U.S. Bank, National Association (25), Stock Yards Bank & Trust Company (11), Republic Bank & Trust Company (10), Alloy Development Co., Inc. (8). Volume says how active a lender is, nothing about terms or service.
How large are typical SBA loans in Kenton County?
The median 7(a) approval was $150K and the median 504 approval $348K; the Kentucky 7(a) median was $150K.
Which industries get the most SBA loans in Kenton County?
Restaurants and Other Eating Places (15); Offices of Other Health Practitioners (14); Building Equipment Contractors (9); General Freight Trucking (9); Residential Building Construction (8).
Is SBA lending in Kenton County rising?
Approvals in the three latest complete fiscal years total 133, against 98 in the three before: rising (+36%).
How does Kenton County compare with the rest of Kentucky?
59.1 approvals per 1,000 establishments against 27.1 statewide, and 195 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