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County1st of 14 in Massachusetts by approvalsFIPS 25017
SBA loans in Middlesex County, Massachusetts
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 2,086 loans to businesses in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, in FY2021 to FY2025, worth $770M: 1,840 under 7(a) and 246 under 504.
That is 46.7 approvals per 1,000 business establishments (44,624 establishments in 2023), close to the Massachusetts figure of 48.8 and close to the national 41.0.
It ranks 1st of 14 Massachusetts counties with approvals. In FY2025 there were 548, up 14% on FY2024.
118 lenders had approvals here; the most active were Eastern Bank (333), TD Bank, National Association (167) and Bay Colony Development Corporation (137). 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 Middlesex County
By number of approvals to businesses in the county, FY2021–FY2025; 118 lenders had at least one.
| # | Lender | Approvals | Dollars | Share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Eastern BankBoston, MA | 333 | $65.3M | 16.0% | |
| 2 | TD Bank, National AssociationWilmington, DE | 167 | $22.5M | 8.0% | |
| 3 | Bay Colony Development CorporationWaltham, MA · CDC | 137 | $92.9M | 6.6% | |
| 4 | Rockland Trust CompanyRockland, MA | 109 | $29.6M | 5.2% | |
| 5 | Leader Bank, National AssociationArlington, MA | 91 | $27.0M | 4.4% | |
| 6 | St. Mary's CUMarlborough, MA | 76 | $4.4M | 3.6% | |
| 7 | Salem Five Cents Savings BankSalem, MA | 74 | $21.5M | 3.5% | |
| 8 | Manufacturers and Traders Trust CompanyBuffalo, NY | 66 | $7.7M | 3.2% | |
| 9 | Cambridge Savings BankCambridge, MA | 60 | $17.3M | 2.9% | |
| 10 | Granite State Economic Development CorporationPortsmouth, NH · CDC | 58 | $42.0M | 2.8% | |
| 11 | Northeast BankLewiston, ME | 55 | $8.8M | 2.6% | |
| 12 | Beacon Bank and TrustBrookline, MA | 51 | $21.7M | 2.4% | |
| 13 | Bank of America, National AssociationCharlotte, NC | 50 | $17.4M | 2.4% | |
| 14 | Webster Bank National AssociationWaterbury, CT | 49 | $15.9M | 2.3% | |
| 15 | Live Oak Banking CompanyWilmington, NC | 48 | $60.2M | 2.3% |
Industries
| # | Industry group (NAICS 4-digit) | Approvals | Share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Restaurants and Other Eating PlacesNAICS 7225 | 175 | 8.4% | |
| 2 | Residential Building ConstructionNAICS 2361 | 104 | 5.0% | |
| 3 | Building Equipment ContractorsNAICS 2382 | 102 | 4.9% | |
| 4 | Services to Buildings and DwellingsNAICS 5617 | 86 | 4.1% | |
| 5 | Personal Care ServicesNAICS 8121 | 86 | 4.1% | |
| 6 | Building Finishing ContractorsNAICS 2383 | 71 | 3.4% | |
| 7 | Offices of Other Health PractitionersNAICS 6213 | 69 | 3.3% | |
| 8 | Automotive Repair and MaintenanceNAICS 8111 | 66 | 3.2% | |
| 9 | Other Specialty Trade ContractorsNAICS 2389 | 56 | 2.7% | |
| 10 | Child Day Care ServicesNAICS 6244 | 53 | 2.5% |
Sectors
| # | NAICS sector | Approvals | Share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Construction | 386 | 18.5% | |
| 2 | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 259 | 12.4% | |
| 3 | Retail Trade | 246 | 11.8% | |
| 4 | Other Services (except Public Administration) | 210 | 10.1% | |
| 5 | Accommodation and Food Services | 204 | 9.8% | |
| 6 | Health Care and Social Assistance | 192 | 9.2% | |
| 7 | Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 148 | 7.1% | |
| 8 | Manufacturing | 102 | 4.9% |
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* | 235 | $82.3M | $150K | 29 | $26.0M | 264 | 2,318 |
| FY2025 | 506 | $155M | $150K | 42 | $32.1M | 548 | 4,087 |
| FY2024 | 445 | $108M | $100K | 37 | $40.9M | 482 | 4,897 |
| FY2023 | 337 | $125M | $150K | 37 | $32.7M | 374 | 3,681 |
| FY2022 | 261 | $77.8M | $122K | 65 | $47.8M | 326 | 2,900 |
| FY2021 | 291 | $114M | $150K | 65 | $37.1M | 356 | 4,516 |
| FY2020 | 246 | $73.3M | $100K | 53 | $35.4M | 299 | 2,345 |
| FY2019 | 391 | $96.1M | $100K | 45 | $32.7M | 436 | 4,333 |
| FY2018 | 526 | $90.3M | $65K | 43 | $26.8M | 569 | 3,641 |
| FY2017 | 567 | $86.2M | $51K | 45 | $18.8M | 612 | 4,170 |
| FY2016 | 547 | $79.4M | $50K | 57 | $39.7M | 604 | 4,110 |
In FY2016–FY2020, the five fiscal years before the current window, the county had 2,520 approvals.
Against Massachusetts and the country
| FY2021–FY2025 | Middlesex County | Massachusetts | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Approvals | 2,086 | 8,965 | 342,825 |
| Approvals per 1,000 establishments | 46.7 | 48.8 | 41.0 |
| Median 7(a) approval | $131K | $100K | $190K |
| Median 504 approval | $538K | $455K | $657K |
| Average approval | $369K | $374K | $573K |
| 504 share of approvals | 11.8% | 15.0% | 11.0% |
| Jobs supported per approval, as reported | 9.6 | 9.1 | 10.5 |
| Share of state approvals | 23.3% | 100.0% | — |
Approval sizes
- $50,000 or less25.0%521
- $50,001 to $150,00026.9%562
- $150,001 to $350,00021.2%443
- $350,001 to $1 million18.7%391
- $1 million to $2 million5.4%113
- Over $2 million2.7%56
Age of the businesses
- Existing, more than 2 years old65.0%1,356
- New business, 2 years or less15.5%323
- Startup, loan funds will open the business11.1%232
- Change of ownership8.3%173
- Not answered0.1%2
Questions and answers
Which lenders make the most SBA loans in Middlesex County?
By approvals in FY2021 to FY2025: Eastern Bank (333), TD Bank, National Association (167), Bay Colony Development Corporation (137), Rockland Trust Company (109), Leader Bank, National Association (91). Volume says how active a lender is, nothing about terms or service.
How large are typical SBA loans in Middlesex County?
The median 7(a) approval was $131K and the median 504 approval $538K; the Massachusetts 7(a) median was $100K.
Which industries get the most SBA loans in Middlesex County?
Restaurants and Other Eating Places (175); Residential Building Construction (104); Building Equipment Contractors (102); Services to Buildings and Dwellings (86); Personal Care Services (86).
Is SBA lending in Middlesex County rising?
Approvals in the three latest complete fiscal years total 1,404, against 981 in the three before: rising (+43%).
How does Middlesex County compare with the rest of Massachusetts?
46.7 approvals per 1,000 establishments against 48.8 statewide, and 2,086 of the state's 8,965 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