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County1st of 47 in Montana by approvalsFIPS 30111
SBA loans in Yellowstone County, Montana
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.
Businesses in Yellowstone County, Montana, received 282 SBA loan approvals worth $174M in FY2021 to FY2025 (234 7(a), 48 504).
That is 46.5 approvals per 1,000 business establishments (6,060 establishments in 2023), above the Montana figure of 30.8 and close to the national 41.0.
It ranks 1st of 47 Montana counties with approvals. In FY2025 there were 59, up 13% on FY2024.
45 lenders had approvals here; the most active were The Yellowstone Bank (58), Glacier Bank (35) and Stockman Bank of Montana (22). 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 Yellowstone County
By number of approvals to businesses in the county, FY2021–FY2025; 45 lenders had at least one.
| # | Lender | Approvals | Dollars | Share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Yellowstone BankLaurel, MT | 58 | $30.9M | 20.6% | |
| 2 | Glacier BankKalispell, MT | 35 | $12.4M | 12.4% | |
| 3 | Stockman Bank of MontanaMiles City, MT | 22 | $11.1M | 7.8% | |
| 4 | Big Sky Economic Development CorporationBillings, MT · CDC | 21 | $22.6M | 7.4% | |
| 5 | First Interstate BankBillings, MT | 21 | $5.5M | 7.4% | |
| 6 | Wells Fargo Bank National AssociationSioux Falls, SD | 12 | $3.1M | 4.3% | |
| 7 | Capital Matrix, Inc.Boise, ID · CDC | 11 | $11.6M | 3.9% | |
| 8 | Dakota Business LendingFargo, ND · CDC | 11 | $10.9M | 3.9% | |
| 9 | U.S. Bank, National AssociationCincinnati, OH | 11 | $1.7M | 3.9% | |
| 10 | Bank of Bridger National AssociationBridger, MT | 10 | $1.9M | 3.5% | |
| 11 | Readycap Lending, LLCBerkeley Heights, NJ | 9 | $6.3M | 3.2% | |
| 12 | Montana Community Development Corp.Missoula, MT | 6 | $812K | 2.1% | |
| 13 | Newtek Bank, National AssociationMiami, FL | 4 | $2.2M | 1.4% | |
| 14 | Mountain West Small Business FinanceSalt Lake City, UT · CDC | 3 | $5.1M | 1.1% | |
| 15 | Bravera BankDickinson, ND | 3 | $1.5M | 1.1% |
Industries
| # | Industry group (NAICS 4-digit) | Approvals | Share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Restaurants and Other Eating PlacesNAICS 7225 | 19 | 6.7% | |
| 2 | Automotive Repair and MaintenanceNAICS 8111 | 15 | 5.3% | |
| 3 | Services to Buildings and DwellingsNAICS 5617 | 11 | 3.9% | |
| 4 | Other Amusement and Recreation IndustriesNAICS 7139 | 9 | 3.2% | |
| 5 | General Freight TruckingNAICS 4841 | 8 | 2.8% | |
| 6 | Building Material and Supplies DealersNAICS 4441 | 8 | 2.8% | |
| 7 | Accounting, Tax Preparation, Bookkeeping, and Payroll ServicesNAICS 5412 | 8 | 2.8% | |
| 8 | Agencies, Brokerages, and Other Insurance Related ActivitiesNAICS 5242 | 8 | 2.8% | |
| 9 | Offices of Other Health PractitionersNAICS 6213 | 7 | 2.5% | |
| 10 | Commercial and Industrial Machinery and Equipment (except Automotive and Electronic) Repair and MaintenanceNAICS 8113 | 6 | 2.1% |
Sectors
| # | NAICS sector | Approvals | Share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Retail Trade | 34 | 12.1% | |
| 2 | Other Services (except Public Administration) | 34 | 12.1% | |
| 3 | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 31 | 11.0% | |
| 4 | Construction | 31 | 11.0% | |
| 5 | Accommodation and Food Services | 27 | 9.6% | |
| 6 | Manufacturing | 24 | 8.5% | |
| 7 | Health Care and Social Assistance | 19 | 6.7% | |
| 8 | Real Estate and Rental and Leasing | 16 | 5.7% |
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* | 22 | $17.8M | $503K | 5 | $3.7M | 27 | 384 |
| FY2025 | 47 | $28.3M | $294K | 12 | $11.9M | 59 | 500 |
| FY2024 | 41 | $16.7M | $228K | 11 | $13.1M | 52 | 574 |
| FY2023 | 32 | $14.0M | $105K | 8 | $10.1M | 40 | 438 |
| FY2022 | 21 | $13.6M | $150K | 14 | $16.0M | 35 | 588 |
| FY2021 | 93 | $48.0M | $239K | 3 | $2.3M | 96 | 929 |
| FY2020 | 39 | $18.3M | $150K | 3 | $1.8M | 42 | 267 |
| FY2019 | 48 | $11.1M | $76K | 5 | $2.5M | 53 | 465 |
| FY2018 | 61 | $14.5M | $80K | 5 | $4.8M | 66 | 672 |
| FY2017 | 80 | $16.2M | $81K | 3 | $1.9M | 83 | 656 |
| FY2016 | 77 | $14.6M | $69K | 5 | $7.2M | 82 | 674 |
In FY2016–FY2020, the five fiscal years before the current window, the county had 326 approvals.
Against Montana and the country
| FY2021–FY2025 | Yellowstone County | Montana | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Approvals | 282 | 1,312 | 342,825 |
| Approvals per 1,000 establishments | 46.5 | 30.8 | 41.0 |
| Median 7(a) approval | $220K | $200K | $190K |
| Median 504 approval | $820K | $469K | $657K |
| Average approval | $617K | $561K | $573K |
| 504 share of approvals | 17.0% | 17.9% | 11.0% |
| Jobs supported per approval, as reported | 10.7 | 9.7 | 10.5 |
| Share of state approvals | 21.5% | 100.0% | — |
Approval sizes
- $50,000 or less16.7%47
- $50,001 to $150,00017.0%48
- $150,001 to $350,00023.0%65
- $350,001 to $1 million25.5%72
- $1 million to $2 million9.9%28
- Over $2 million7.8%22
Age of the businesses
- Existing, more than 2 years old53.2%150
- New business, 2 years or less18.1%51
- Startup, loan funds will open the business15.6%44
- Change of ownership13.1%37
Questions and answers
Which lenders make the most SBA loans in Yellowstone County?
By approvals in FY2021 to FY2025: The Yellowstone Bank (58), Glacier Bank (35), Stockman Bank of Montana (22), Big Sky Economic Development Corporation (21), First Interstate Bank (21). Volume says how active a lender is, nothing about terms or service.
How large are typical SBA loans in Yellowstone County?
The median 7(a) approval was $220K and the median 504 approval $820K; the Montana 7(a) median was $200K.
Which industries get the most SBA loans in Yellowstone County?
Restaurants and Other Eating Places (19); Automotive Repair and Maintenance (15); Services to Buildings and Dwellings (11); Other Amusement and Recreation Industries (9); General Freight Trucking (8).
Is SBA lending in Yellowstone County rising?
Approvals in the three latest complete fiscal years total 151, against 173 in the three before: falling (-13%).
How does Yellowstone County compare with the rest of Montana?
46.5 approvals per 1,000 establishments against 30.8 statewide, and 282 of the state's 1,312 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