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County3rd of 16 in Maine by approvalsFIPS 23019
SBA loans in Penobscot County, Maine
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 163 loans to businesses in Penobscot County, Maine, in FY2021 to FY2025, worth $45.4M: 151 under 7(a) and 12 under 504.
That is 38.6 approvals per 1,000 business establishments (4,222 establishments in 2023), below the Maine figure of 46.0 and close to the national 41.0.
It ranks 3rd of 16 Maine counties with approvals. In FY2025 there were 33, about level with FY2024.
26 lenders had approvals here; the most active were TD Bank, National Association (33), Bangor Savings Bank (32) and Machias Savings Bank (23). The most common industry was services to buildings and dwellings.
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 Penobscot County
By number of approvals to businesses in the county, FY2021–FY2025; 26 lenders had at least one.
| # | Lender | Approvals | Dollars | Share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | TD Bank, National AssociationWilmington, DE | 33 | $5.7M | 20.2% | |
| 2 | Bangor Savings BankBangor, ME | 32 | $6.9M | 19.6% | |
| 3 | Machias Savings BankMachias, ME | 23 | $4.8M | 14.1% | |
| 4 | KeyBank National AssociationCleveland, OH | 13 | $2.5M | 8.0% | |
| 5 | Bar Harbor Bank & TrustBar Harbor, ME | 12 | $1.9M | 7.4% | |
| 6 | Granite State Economic Development CorporationPortsmouth, NH · CDC | 11 | $5.5M | 6.7% | |
| 7 | Katahdin Trust CompanyPatten, ME | 10 | $9.2M | 6.1% | |
| 8 | Northeast BankLewiston, ME | 4 | $1.4M | 2.5% | |
| 9 | Maine Community BankPortland, ME | 3 | $1.4M | 1.8% | |
| 10 | Franklin Savings BankFarmington, ME | 3 | $390K | 1.8% | |
| 11 | Seaboard FCUBucksport, ME | 3 | $224K | 1.8% | |
| 12 | Eastern Maine Development CorporationBangor, ME | 2 | — | 1.2% | |
| 13 | Hanover Community BankMineola, NY | 1 | — | 0.6% | |
| 14 | Bank of HopeLos Angeles, CA | 1 | — | 0.6% | |
| 15 | 1st Financial Bank USADakota Dunes, SD | 1 | — | 0.6% |
Industries
| # | Industry group (NAICS 4-digit) | Approvals | Share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Services to Buildings and DwellingsNAICS 5617 | 14 | 8.6% | |
| 2 | Restaurants and Other Eating PlacesNAICS 7225 | 9 | 5.5% | |
| 3 | Other Amusement and Recreation IndustriesNAICS 7139 | 9 | 5.5% | |
| 4 | General Freight TruckingNAICS 4841 | 8 | 4.9% | |
| 5 | Residential Building ConstructionNAICS 2361 | 7 | 4.3% | |
| 6 | Specialized Freight TruckingNAICS 4842 | 6 | 3.7% | |
| 7 | Building Equipment ContractorsNAICS 2382 | 5 | 3.1% | |
| 8 | Automotive Repair and MaintenanceNAICS 8111 | 5 | 3.1% | |
| 9 | Other Personal ServicesNAICS 8129 | 4 | 2.5% | |
| 10 | Other Wood Product ManufacturingNAICS 3219 | 4 | 2.5% |
Sectors
| # | NAICS sector | Approvals | Share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Construction | 29 | 17.8% | |
| 2 | Retail Trade | 21 | 12.9% | |
| 3 | Transportation and Warehousing | 19 | 11.7% | |
| 4 | Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 17 | 10.4% | |
| 5 | Accommodation and Food Services | 15 | 9.2% | |
| 6 | Other Services (except Public Administration) | 14 | 8.6% | |
| 7 | Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation | 11 | 6.7% | |
| 8 | Health Care and Social Assistance | 10 | 6.1% |
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* | 24 | $14.2M | $213K | 1 | — | 25 | 222 |
| FY2025 | 31 | $8.3M | $140K | 2 | — | 33 | 265 |
| FY2024 | 34 | $4.8M | $100K | 1 | — | 35 | 192 |
| FY2023 | 31 | $8.0M | $150K | 6 | $2.0M | 37 | 262 |
| FY2022 | 23 | $2.7M | $75K | 1 | — | 24 | 205 |
| FY2021 | 32 | $15.9M | $83K | 2 | — | 34 | 380 |
| FY2020 | 27 | $2.9M | $67K | 5 | $1.8M | 32 | 138 |
| FY2019 | 39 | $8.3M | $50K | 2 | — | 41 | 332 |
| FY2018 | 36 | $4.0M | $57K | 2 | — | 38 | 286 |
| FY2017 | 39 | $8.0M | $97K | 0 | — | 39 | 198 |
| FY2016 | 41 | $7.6M | $60K | 3 | $1.1M | 44 | 197 |
In FY2016–FY2020, the five fiscal years before the current window, the county had 194 approvals.
Against Maine and the country
| FY2021–FY2025 | Penobscot County | Maine | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Approvals | 163 | 1,996 | 342,825 |
| Approvals per 1,000 establishments | 38.6 | 46.0 | 41.0 |
| Median 7(a) approval | $100K | $100K | $190K |
| Median 504 approval | $331K | $385K | $657K |
| Average approval | $278K | $327K | $573K |
| 504 share of approvals | 7.4% | 17.1% | 11.0% |
| Jobs supported per approval, as reported | 8.0 | 8.4 | 10.5 |
| Share of state approvals | 8.2% | 100.0% | — |
Approval sizes
- $50,000 or less32.5%53
- $50,001 to $150,00028.2%46
- $150,001 to $350,00019.0%31
- $350,001 to $1 million15.3%25
- $1 million to $2 million3.7%6
- Over $2 million1.2%2
Age of the businesses
- Existing, more than 2 years old54.0%88
- New business, 2 years or less23.9%39
- Startup, loan funds will open the business13.5%22
- Change of ownership8.6%14
Questions and answers
Which lenders make the most SBA loans in Penobscot County?
By approvals in FY2021 to FY2025: TD Bank, National Association (33), Bangor Savings Bank (32), Machias Savings Bank (23), KeyBank National Association (13), Bar Harbor Bank & Trust (12). Volume says how active a lender is, nothing about terms or service.
How large are typical SBA loans in Penobscot County?
The median 7(a) approval was $100K and the median 504 approval $331K; the Maine 7(a) median was $100K.
Which industries get the most SBA loans in Penobscot County?
Services to Buildings and Dwellings (14); Restaurants and Other Eating Places (9); Other Amusement and Recreation Industries (9); General Freight Trucking (8); Residential Building Construction (7).
Is SBA lending in Penobscot County rising?
Approvals in the three latest complete fiscal years total 105, against 90 in the three before: rising (+17%).
How does Penobscot County compare with the rest of Maine?
38.6 approvals per 1,000 establishments against 46.0 statewide, and 163 of the state's 1,996 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