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County22nd of 106 in Missouri by approvalsFIPS 29051
SBA loans in Cole County, Missouri
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 45 loans to businesses in Cole County, Missouri, in FY2021 to FY2025, worth $28.2M: 40 under 7(a) and 5 under 504.
That is 20.2 approvals per 1,000 business establishments (2,224 establishments in 2023), below the Missouri figure of 37.6 and below the national 41.0.
It ranks 22nd of 106 Missouri counties with approvals. In FY2025 there were 3, down 75% on FY2024.
16 lenders had approvals here; the most active were Hawthorn Bank (11), The Central Trust Bank (9) and Rural Missouri, Inc. (4). 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 Cole County
By number of approvals to businesses in the county, FY2021–FY2025; 16 lenders had at least one.
| # | Lender | Approvals | Dollars | Share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hawthorn BankJefferson City, MO | 11 | $1.4M | 24.4% | |
| 2 | The Central Trust BankJefferson City, MO | 9 | $5.5M | 20.0% | |
| 3 | Rural Missouri, Inc.Jefferson City, MO · CDC | 4 | $1.6M | 8.9% | |
| 4 | First Mid Bank & Trust, National AssociationMattoon, IL | 3 | $341K | 6.7% | |
| 5 | Commerce BankKansas City, MO | 2 | — | 4.4% | |
| 6 | Simmons BankPine Bluff, AR | 2 | — | 4.4% | |
| 7 | Mid America BankJefferson City, MO | 2 | — | 4.4% | |
| 8 | BayFirst National BankSaint Petersburg, FL | 2 | — | 4.4% | |
| 9 | The Callaway BankFulton, MO | 2 | — | 4.4% | |
| 10 | U.S. Bank, National AssociationCincinnati, OH | 2 | — | 4.4% | |
| 11 | St. Louis BankSt. Louis, MO | 1 | — | 2.2% | |
| 12 | GBankLas Vegas, NV | 1 | — | 2.2% | |
| 13 | UMB Bank, National AssociationKansas City, MO | 1 | — | 2.2% | |
| 14 | St. Charles County Economic Development CouncilSt. Charles, MO · CDC | 1 | — | 2.2% | |
| 15 | Readycap Lending, LLCBerkeley Heights, NJ | 1 | — | 2.2% |
Industries
| # | Industry group (NAICS 4-digit) | Approvals | Share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Restaurants and Other Eating PlacesNAICS 7225 | 5 | 11.1% | |
| 2 | Special Food ServicesNAICS 7223 | 3 | 6.7% | |
| 3 | Specialized Freight TruckingNAICS 4842 | 2 | 4.4% | |
| 4 | Nonresidential Building ConstructionNAICS 2362 | 2 | 4.4% | |
| 5 | Traveler AccommodationNAICS 7211 | 2 | 4.4% | |
| 6 | Home Health Care ServicesNAICS 6216 | 2 | 4.4% | |
| 7 | Nondepository Credit IntermediationNAICS 5222 | 2 | 4.4% | |
| 8 | Drycleaning and Laundry ServicesNAICS 8123 | 2 | 4.4% | |
| 9 | Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages)NAICS 7224 | 2 | 4.4% | |
| 10 | Electronic and Precision Equipment Repair and MaintenanceNAICS 8112 | 1 | 2.2% |
Sectors
| # | NAICS sector | Approvals | Share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Accommodation and Food Services | 12 | 26.7% | |
| 2 | Health Care and Social Assistance | 7 | 15.6% | |
| 3 | Construction | 5 | 11.1% | |
| 4 | Retail Trade | 5 | 11.1% | |
| 5 | Other Services (except Public Administration) | 4 | 8.9% | |
| 6 | Transportation and Warehousing | 3 | 6.7% | |
| 7 | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 3 | 6.7% | |
| 8 | Finance and Insurance | 3 | 6.7% |
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* | 4 | $4.7M | $630K | 1 | — | 5 | 39 |
| FY2025 | 3 | $2.3M | $500K | 0 | — | 3 | 22 |
| FY2024 | 10 | $1.3M | $138K | 2 | — | 12 | 107 |
| FY2023 | 5 | $1.2M | $264K | 2 | — | 7 | 69 |
| FY2022 | 10 | $11.8M | $162K | 0 | — | 10 | 120 |
| FY2021 | 12 | $9.3M | $201K | 1 | — | 13 | 100 |
| FY2020 | 15 | $10.2M | $213K | 0 | — | 15 | 306 |
| FY2019 | 12 | $2.6M | $174K | 2 | — | 14 | 73 |
| FY2018 | 9 | $930K | $90K | 2 | — | 11 | 85 |
| FY2017 | 24 | $7.2M | $70K | 2 | — | 26 | 156 |
| FY2016 | 19 | $8.5M | $93K | 0 | — | 19 | 154 |
In FY2016–FY2020, the five fiscal years before the current window, the county had 85 approvals.
Against Missouri and the country
| FY2021–FY2025 | Cole County | Missouri | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Approvals | 45 | 5,688 | 342,825 |
| Approvals per 1,000 establishments | 20.2 | 37.6 | 41.0 |
| Median 7(a) approval | $150K | $225K | $190K |
| Median 504 approval | $357K | $553K | $657K |
| Average approval | $628K | $569K | $573K |
| 504 share of approvals | 11.1% | 9.9% | 11.0% |
| Jobs supported per approval, as reported | 9.3 | 11.0 | 10.5 |
| Share of state approvals | 0.8% | 100.0% | — |
Approval sizes
- $50,000 or less20.0%9
- $50,001 to $150,00028.9%13
- $150,001 to $350,00017.8%8
- $350,001 to $1 million20.0%9
- $1 million to $2 million4.4%2
- Over $2 million8.9%4
Age of the businesses
- Existing, more than 2 years old44.4%20
- New business, 2 years or less15.6%7
- Startup, loan funds will open the business24.4%11
- Change of ownership15.6%7
Questions and answers
Which lenders make the most SBA loans in Cole County?
By approvals in FY2021 to FY2025: Hawthorn Bank (11), The Central Trust Bank (9), Rural Missouri, Inc. (4), First Mid Bank & Trust, National Association (3), Commerce Bank (2). Volume says how active a lender is, nothing about terms or service.
How large are typical SBA loans in Cole County?
The median 7(a) approval was $150K and the median 504 approval $357K; the Missouri 7(a) median was $225K.
Which industries get the most SBA loans in Cole County?
Restaurants and Other Eating Places (5); Special Food Services (3); Specialized Freight Trucking (2); Nonresidential Building Construction (2); Traveler Accommodation (2).
Is SBA lending in Cole County rising?
Approvals in the three latest complete fiscal years total 22, against 38 in the three before: falling (-42%).
How does Cole County compare with the rest of Missouri?
20.2 approvals per 1,000 establishments against 37.6 statewide, and 45 of the state's 5,688 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