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County13th of 99 in North Carolina by approvalsFIPS 37101
SBA loans in Johnston 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 Johnston County, North Carolina, received 117 SBA loan approvals worth $71.0M in FY2021 to FY2025 (109 7(a), 8 504).
That is 28.2 approvals per 1,000 business establishments (4,151 establishments in 2023), close to the North Carolina figure of 28.5 and below the national 41.0.
It ranks 13th of 99 North Carolina counties with approvals. In FY2025 there were 20, down 43% on FY2024.
44 lenders had approvals here; the most active were Wells Fargo Bank National Association (13), Business Expansion Funding Corporation (7) and Live Oak Banking Company (6). 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 Johnston County
By number of approvals to businesses in the county, FY2021–FY2025; 44 lenders had at least one.
| # | Lender | Approvals | Dollars | Share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wells Fargo Bank National AssociationSioux Falls, SD | 13 | $235K | 11.1% | |
| 2 | Business Expansion Funding CorporationCharlotte, NC · CDC | 7 | $7.0M | 6.0% | |
| 3 | Live Oak Banking CompanyWilmington, NC | 6 | $7.7M | 5.1% | |
| 4 | KS Bank, Inc.Smithfield, NC | 6 | $2.9M | 5.1% | |
| 5 | PNC Bank, National AssociationWilmington, DE | 5 | $723K | 4.3% | |
| 6 | Northeast BankLewiston, ME | 5 | $547K | 4.3% | |
| 7 | IncredibleBankWausau, WI | 4 | $9.7M | 3.4% | |
| 8 | Newtek Bank, National AssociationMiami, FL | 4 | $2.5M | 3.4% | |
| 9 | United Midwest Savings Bank National AssociationDe Graff, OH | 4 | $560K | 3.4% | |
| 10 | Readycap Lending, LLCBerkeley Heights, NJ | 4 | $541K | 3.4% | |
| 11 | JPMorgan Chase Bank, National AssociationColumbus, OH | 3 | $945K | 2.6% | |
| 12 | Newtek Small Business Finance, Inc.Lake Success, NY | 3 | $880K | 2.6% | |
| 13 | SouthState Bank, National AssociationWinter Haven, FL | 3 | $775K | 2.6% | |
| 14 | BayFirst National BankSaint Petersburg, FL | 3 | $572K | 2.6% | |
| 15 | Carolina Small Business Development FundRaleigh, NC | 3 | $524K | 2.6% |
Industries
| # | Industry group (NAICS 4-digit) | Approvals | Share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Restaurants and Other Eating PlacesNAICS 7225 | 19 | 16.2% | |
| 2 | Automotive Repair and MaintenanceNAICS 8111 | 9 | 7.7% | |
| 3 | Foundation, Structure, and Building Exterior ContractorsNAICS 2381 | 6 | 5.1% | |
| 4 | Building Equipment ContractorsNAICS 2382 | 6 | 5.1% | |
| 5 | Traveler AccommodationNAICS 7211 | 5 | 4.3% | |
| 6 | Child Day Care ServicesNAICS 6244 | 5 | 4.3% | |
| 7 | Special Food ServicesNAICS 7223 | 4 | 3.4% | |
| 8 | Services to Buildings and DwellingsNAICS 5617 | 4 | 3.4% | |
| 9 | Employment ServicesNAICS 5613 | 3 | 2.6% | |
| 10 | Offices of Other Health PractitionersNAICS 6213 | 3 | 2.6% |
Sectors
| # | NAICS sector | Approvals | Share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Accommodation and Food Services | 28 | 23.9% | |
| 2 | Construction | 16 | 13.7% | |
| 3 | Other Services (except Public Administration) | 15 | 12.8% | |
| 4 | Health Care and Social Assistance | 12 | 10.3% | |
| 5 | Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 10 | 8.5% | |
| 6 | Retail Trade | 8 | 6.8% | |
| 7 | Transportation and Warehousing | 7 | 6.0% | |
| 8 | Wholesale Trade | 5 | 4.3% |
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* | 17 | $6.7M | $175K | 2 | — | 19 | 195 |
| FY2025 | 19 | $9.3M | $216K | 1 | — | 20 | 223 |
| FY2024 | 35 | $16.7M | $150K | 0 | — | 35 | 277 |
| FY2023 | 22 | $10.3M | $216K | 3 | $2.3M | 25 | 386 |
| FY2022 | 21 | $19.5M | $500K | 1 | — | 22 | 569 |
| FY2021 | 12 | $7.4M | $490K | 3 | $3.0M | 15 | 160 |
| FY2020 | 18 | $12.2M | $348K | 3 | $6.2M | 21 | 313 |
| FY2019 | 13 | $3.8M | $150K | 2 | — | 15 | 259 |
| FY2018 | 14 | $6.6M | $136K | 0 | — | 14 | 143 |
| FY2017 | 21 | $15.8M | $214K | 0 | — | 21 | 170 |
| FY2016 | 13 | $10.1M | $467K | 0 | — | 13 | 155 |
In FY2016–FY2020, the five fiscal years before the current window, the county had 84 approvals.
Against North Carolina and the country
| FY2021–FY2025 | Johnston County | North Carolina | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Approvals | 117 | 7,353 | 342,825 |
| Approvals per 1,000 establishments | 28.2 | 28.5 | 41.0 |
| Median 7(a) approval | $262K | $326K | $190K |
| Median 504 approval | $722K | $753K | $657K |
| Average approval | $607K | $731K | $573K |
| 504 share of approvals | 6.8% | 6.4% | 11.0% |
| Jobs supported per approval, as reported | 13.8 | 12.2 | 10.5 |
| Share of state approvals | 1.6% | 100.0% | — |
Approval sizes
- $50,000 or less18.8%22
- $50,001 to $150,00017.9%21
- $150,001 to $350,00019.7%23
- $350,001 to $1 million26.5%31
- $1 million to $2 million8.5%10
- Over $2 million8.5%10
Age of the businesses
- Existing, more than 2 years old35.9%42
- New business, 2 years or less23.1%27
- Startup, loan funds will open the business25.6%30
- Change of ownership15.4%18
Questions and answers
Which lenders make the most SBA loans in Johnston County?
By approvals in FY2021 to FY2025: Wells Fargo Bank National Association (13), Business Expansion Funding Corporation (7), Live Oak Banking Company (6), KS Bank, Inc. (6), PNC Bank, National Association (5). Volume says how active a lender is, nothing about terms or service.
How large are typical SBA loans in Johnston County?
The median 7(a) approval was $262K and the median 504 approval $722K; the North Carolina 7(a) median was $326K.
Which industries get the most SBA loans in Johnston County?
Restaurants and Other Eating Places (19); Automotive Repair and Maintenance (9); Foundation, Structure, and Building Exterior Contractors (6); Building Equipment Contractors (6); Traveler Accommodation (5).
Is SBA lending in Johnston County rising?
Approvals in the three latest complete fiscal years total 80, against 58 in the three before: rising (+38%).
How does Johnston County compare with the rest of North Carolina?
28.2 approvals per 1,000 establishments against 28.5 statewide, and 117 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