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County5th of 99 in North Carolina by approvalsFIPS 37021
SBA loans in Buncombe County, North Carolina
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 Buncombe County, North Carolina, received 280 SBA loan approvals worth $196M in FY2021 to FY2025 (259 7(a), 21 504).
That is 28.4 approvals per 1,000 business establishments (9,863 establishments in 2023), close to the North Carolina figure of 28.5 and below the national 41.0.
It ranks 5th of 99 North Carolina counties with approvals. In FY2025 there were 61, about level with FY2024.
68 lenders had approvals here; the most active were Mountain Bizcapital, Inc. (30), TD Bank, National Association (18) and HomeTrust Bank (17). 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 Buncombe County
By number of approvals to businesses in the county, FY2021–FY2025; 68 lenders had at least one.
| # | Lender | Approvals | Dollars | Share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mountain Bizcapital, Inc.Asheville, NC | 30 | $4.6M | 10.7% | |
| 2 | TD Bank, National AssociationWilmington, DE | 18 | $4.2M | 6.4% | |
| 3 | HomeTrust BankAsheville, NC | 17 | $14.5M | 6.1% | |
| 4 | The Huntington National BankColumbus, OH | 16 | $12.2M | 5.7% | |
| 5 | Wells Fargo Bank National AssociationSioux Falls, SD | 14 | $3.8M | 5.0% | |
| 6 | Live Oak Banking CompanyWilmington, NC | 13 | $20.5M | 4.6% | |
| 7 | Business Expansion Funding CorporationCharlotte, NC · CDC | 13 | $15.0M | 4.6% | |
| 8 | First BankSouthern Pines, NC | 9 | $5.9M | 3.2% | |
| 9 | Readycap Lending, LLCBerkeley Heights, NJ | 9 | $5.7M | 3.2% | |
| 10 | First Bank of the LakeOsage Beach, MO | 9 | $4.0M | 3.2% | |
| 11 | Northeast BankLewiston, ME | 8 | $959K | 2.9% | |
| 12 | Carolina Business Capital, Inc.Charlotte, NC · CDC | 7 | $7.0M | 2.5% | |
| 13 | PNC Bank, National AssociationWilmington, DE | 7 | $2.8M | 2.5% | |
| 14 | BayFirst National BankSaint Petersburg, FL | 6 | $1.0M | 2.1% | |
| 15 | Celtic Bank CorporationSalt Lake City, UT | 6 | $967K | 2.1% |
Industries
| # | Industry group (NAICS 4-digit) | Approvals | Share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Restaurants and Other Eating PlacesNAICS 7225 | 35 | 12.5% | |
| 2 | Traveler AccommodationNAICS 7211 | 14 | 5.0% | |
| 3 | Other Amusement and Recreation IndustriesNAICS 7139 | 14 | 5.0% | |
| 4 | Residential Building ConstructionNAICS 2361 | 14 | 5.0% | |
| 5 | Offices of Other Health PractitionersNAICS 6213 | 10 | 3.6% | |
| 6 | Other Personal ServicesNAICS 8129 | 8 | 2.9% | |
| 7 | Automotive Repair and MaintenanceNAICS 8111 | 7 | 2.5% | |
| 8 | Building Equipment ContractorsNAICS 2382 | 7 | 2.5% | |
| 9 | Services to Buildings and DwellingsNAICS 5617 | 7 | 2.5% | |
| 10 | Accounting, Tax Preparation, Bookkeeping, and Payroll ServicesNAICS 5412 | 6 | 2.1% |
Sectors
| # | NAICS sector | Approvals | Share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Accommodation and Food Services | 58 | 20.7% | |
| 2 | Health Care and Social Assistance | 33 | 11.8% | |
| 3 | Construction | 31 | 11.1% | |
| 4 | Retail Trade | 30 | 10.7% | |
| 5 | Manufacturing | 26 | 9.3% | |
| 6 | Other Services (except Public Administration) | 24 | 8.6% | |
| 7 | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 18 | 6.4% | |
| 8 | Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation | 15 | 5.4% |
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* | 32 | $12.3M | $175K | 0 | — | 32 | 509 |
| FY2025 | 57 | $33.2M | $300K | 4 | $7.4M | 61 | 503 |
| FY2024 | 59 | $32.2M | $150K | 4 | $6.4M | 63 | 684 |
| FY2023 | 59 | $38.3M | $250K | 3 | $2.4M | 62 | 961 |
| FY2022 | 42 | $27.5M | $250K | 4 | $3.0M | 46 | 511 |
| FY2021 | 42 | $41.5M | $350K | 6 | $4.0M | 48 | 501 |
| FY2020 | 42 | $33.5M | $289K | 5 | $8.3M | 47 | 572 |
| FY2019 | 52 | $24.0M | $154K | 3 | $5.0M | 55 | 440 |
| FY2018 | 69 | $43.4M | $200K | 4 | $3.8M | 73 | 1,112 |
| FY2017 | 68 | $20.3M | $150K | 4 | $2.9M | 72 | 976 |
| FY2016 | 49 | $14.7M | $149K | 4 | $4.5M | 53 | 499 |
In FY2016–FY2020, the five fiscal years before the current window, the county had 300 approvals.
Against North Carolina and the country
| FY2021–FY2025 | Buncombe County | North Carolina | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Approvals | 280 | 7,353 | 342,825 |
| Approvals per 1,000 establishments | 28.4 | 28.5 | 41.0 |
| Median 7(a) approval | $250K | $326K | $190K |
| Median 504 approval | $691K | $753K | $657K |
| Average approval | $700K | $731K | $573K |
| 504 share of approvals | 7.5% | 6.4% | 11.0% |
| Jobs supported per approval, as reported | 11.3 | 12.2 | 10.5 |
| Share of state approvals | 3.8% | 100.0% | — |
Approval sizes
- $50,000 or less17.5%49
- $50,001 to $150,00021.4%60
- $150,001 to $350,00022.1%62
- $350,001 to $1 million18.6%52
- $1 million to $2 million10.4%29
- Over $2 million10.0%28
Age of the businesses
- Existing, more than 2 years old43.2%121
- New business, 2 years or less23.2%65
- Startup, loan funds will open the business22.1%62
- Change of ownership11.1%31
- Not answered0.4%1
Questions and answers
Which lenders make the most SBA loans in Buncombe County?
By approvals in FY2021 to FY2025: Mountain Bizcapital, Inc. (30), TD Bank, National Association (18), HomeTrust Bank (17), The Huntington National Bank (16), Wells Fargo Bank National Association (14). Volume says how active a lender is, nothing about terms or service.
How large are typical SBA loans in Buncombe County?
The median 7(a) approval was $250K and the median 504 approval $691K; the North Carolina 7(a) median was $326K.
Which industries get the most SBA loans in Buncombe County?
Restaurants and Other Eating Places (35); Traveler Accommodation (14); Other Amusement and Recreation Industries (14); Residential Building Construction (14); Offices of Other Health Practitioners (10).
Is SBA lending in Buncombe County rising?
Approvals in the three latest complete fiscal years total 186, against 141 in the three before: rising (+32%).
How does Buncombe County compare with the rest of North Carolina?
28.4 approvals per 1,000 establishments against 28.5 statewide, and 280 of the state's 7,353 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