States › Michigan › St. Joseph County
County37th of 83 in Michigan by approvalsFIPS 26149
SBA loans in St. Joseph County, Michigan
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 43 loans to businesses in St. Joseph County, Michigan, in FY2021 to FY2025, worth $26.2M: 39 under 7(a) and 4 under 504.
That is 37.4 approvals per 1,000 business establishments (1,149 establishments in 2023), below the Michigan figure of 55.8 and close to the national 41.0.
It ranks 37th of 83 Michigan counties with approvals. In FY2025 there were 9, down 10% on FY2024.
22 lenders had approvals here; the most active were The Huntington National Bank (11), Southern Michigan Bank & Trust (5) and Michigan Certified Development Corporation (3). The most common industry was electronic shopping and mail-order houses.
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 St. Joseph County
By number of approvals to businesses in the county, FY2021–FY2025; 22 lenders had at least one.
| # | Lender | Approvals | Dollars | Share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Huntington National BankColumbus, OH | 11 | $2.4M | 25.6% | |
| 2 | Southern Michigan Bank & TrustColdwater, MI | 5 | $2.6M | 11.6% | |
| 3 | Michigan Certified Development CorporationEast Lansing, MI · CDC | 3 | $5.5M | 7.0% | |
| 4 | Cross River BankFort Lee, NJ | 2 | — | 4.7% | |
| 5 | Omni Community Credit UnionBattle Creek, MI | 2 | — | 4.7% | |
| 6 | Newtek Small Business Finance, Inc.Lake Success, NY | 2 | — | 4.7% | |
| 7 | Flagstar Bank National AssociationHicksville, NY | 2 | — | 4.7% | |
| 8 | KeyBank National AssociationCleveland, OH | 2 | — | 4.7% | |
| 9 | US Eagle FCUAlbuquerque, NM | 1 | — | 2.3% | |
| 10 | Byline BankChicago, IL | 1 | — | 2.3% | |
| 11 | United FCUSaint Joseph, MI | 1 | — | 2.3% | |
| 12 | First Financial BankEl Dorado, AR | 1 | — | 2.3% | |
| 13 | Great Lakes Commercial FinanceGrandville, MI · CDC | 1 | — | 2.3% | |
| 14 | Citizens BankElizabethton, TN | 1 | — | 2.3% | |
| 15 | MVB Bank, Inc.Fairmont, WV | 1 | — | 2.3% |
Industries
| # | Industry group (NAICS 4-digit) | Approvals | Share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Electronic Shopping and Mail-Order HousesNAICS 4541 | 3 | 7.0% | |
| 2 | Other Wood Product ManufacturingNAICS 3219 | 3 | 7.0% | |
| 3 | Specialized Freight TruckingNAICS 4842 | 2 | 4.7% | |
| 4 | General Freight TruckingNAICS 4841 | 2 | 4.7% | |
| 5 | Other Specialty Trade ContractorsNAICS 2389 | 2 | 4.7% | |
| 6 | Restaurants and Other Eating PlacesNAICS 7225 | 2 | 4.7% | |
| 7 | Advertising, Public Relations, and Related ServicesNAICS 5418 | 2 | 4.7% | |
| 8 | Grocery StoresNAICS 4451 | 2 | 4.7% | |
| 9 | Other Miscellaneous RetailersNAICS 4599 | 2 | 4.7% | |
| 10 | Residential Building ConstructionNAICS 2361 | 2 | 4.7% |
Sectors
| # | NAICS sector | Approvals | Share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Retail Trade | 8 | 18.6% | |
| 2 | Construction | 5 | 11.6% | |
| 3 | Manufacturing | 5 | 11.6% | |
| 4 | Transportation and Warehousing | 4 | 9.3% | |
| 5 | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 3 | 7.0% | |
| 6 | Accommodation and Food Services | 3 | 7.0% | |
| 7 | Other Services (except Public Administration) | 3 | 7.0% | |
| 8 | Real Estate and Rental and Leasing | 3 | 7.0% |
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* | 9 | $3.5M | $210K | 1 | — | 10 | 90 |
| FY2025 | 6 | $3.5M | $413K | 3 | $5.0M | 9 | 86 |
| FY2024 | 9 | $1.3M | $129K | 1 | — | 10 | 196 |
| FY2023 | 5 | $1.1M | $180K | 0 | — | 5 | 26 |
| FY2022 | 10 | $6.6M | $373K | 0 | — | 10 | 102 |
| FY2021 | 9 | $7.5M | $180K | 0 | — | 9 | 88 |
| FY2020 | 6 | $1.1M | $141K | 0 | — | 6 | 21 |
| FY2019 | 9 | $2.0M | $225K | 0 | — | 9 | 20 |
| FY2018 | 6 | $2.6M | $318K | 1 | — | 7 | 33 |
| FY2017 | 3 | $263K | $75K | 0 | — | 3 | 5 |
| FY2016 | 4 | $3.4M | $512K | 2 | — | 6 | 32 |
In FY2016–FY2020, the five fiscal years before the current window, the county had 31 approvals.
Against Michigan and the country
| FY2021–FY2025 | St. Joseph County | Michigan | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Approvals | 43 | 12,809 | 342,825 |
| Approvals per 1,000 establishments | 37.4 | 55.8 | 41.0 |
| Median 7(a) approval | $180K | $125K | $190K |
| Median 504 approval | $825K | $540K | $657K |
| Average approval | $609K | $415K | $573K |
| 504 share of approvals | 9.3% | 6.7% | 11.0% |
| Jobs supported per approval, as reported | 11.6 | 9.4 | 10.5 |
| Share of state approvals | 0.3% | 100.0% | — |
Approval sizes
- $50,000 or less18.6%8
- $50,001 to $150,00023.3%10
- $150,001 to $350,00023.3%10
- $350,001 to $1 million18.6%8
- $1 million to $2 million11.6%5
- Over $2 million4.7%2
Age of the businesses
- Existing, more than 2 years old46.5%20
- New business, 2 years or less25.6%11
- Startup, loan funds will open the business14.0%6
- Change of ownership14.0%6
Questions and answers
Which lenders make the most SBA loans in St. Joseph County?
By approvals in FY2021 to FY2025: The Huntington National Bank (11), Southern Michigan Bank & Trust (5), Michigan Certified Development Corporation (3), Cross River Bank (2), Omni Community Credit Union (2). Volume says how active a lender is, nothing about terms or service.
How large are typical SBA loans in St. Joseph County?
The median 7(a) approval was $180K and the median 504 approval $825K; the Michigan 7(a) median was $125K.
Which industries get the most SBA loans in St. Joseph County?
Electronic Shopping and Mail-Order Houses (3); Other Wood Product Manufacturing (3); Specialized Freight Trucking (2); General Freight Trucking (2); Other Specialty Trade Contractors (2).
Is SBA lending in St. Joseph County rising?
Approvals in the three latest complete fiscal years total 24, against 25 in the three before: broadly level (-4%).
How does St. Joseph County compare with the rest of Michigan?
37.4 approvals per 1,000 establishments against 55.8 statewide, and 43 of the state's 12,809 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