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County19th of 99 in North Carolina by approvalsFIPS 37135
SBA loans in Orange 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.
SBA approved 88 loans to businesses in Orange County, North Carolina, in FY2021 to FY2025, worth $51.7M: 81 under 7(a) and 7 under 504.
That is 25.2 approvals per 1,000 business establishments (3,491 establishments in 2023), close to the North Carolina figure of 28.5 and below the national 41.0.
It ranks 19th of 99 North Carolina counties with approvals. In FY2025 there were 30, up 36% on FY2024.
31 lenders had approvals here; the most active were The Huntington National Bank (15), TowneBank (9) and Business Expansion Funding Corporation (7). 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 Orange County
By number of approvals to businesses in the county, FY2021–FY2025; 31 lenders had at least one.
| # | Lender | Approvals | Dollars | Share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Huntington National BankColumbus, OH | 15 | $4.9M | 17.0% | |
| 2 | TowneBankPortsmouth, VA | 9 | $6.3M | 10.2% | |
| 3 | Business Expansion Funding CorporationCharlotte, NC · CDC | 7 | $4.1M | 8.0% | |
| 4 | Wells Fargo Bank National AssociationSioux Falls, SD | 6 | $2.3M | 6.8% | |
| 5 | Live Oak Banking CompanyWilmington, NC | 5 | $6.8M | 5.7% | |
| 6 | Northeast BankLewiston, ME | 5 | $1.1M | 5.7% | |
| 7 | FFB BankFresno, CA | 4 | $8.0M | 4.5% | |
| 8 | Bank of America, National AssociationCharlotte, NC | 4 | $1.4M | 4.5% | |
| 9 | First Bank of the LakeOsage Beach, MO | 3 | $2.0M | 3.4% | |
| 10 | Newtek Bank, National AssociationMiami, FL | 3 | $1.1M | 3.4% | |
| 11 | Readycap Lending, LLCBerkeley Heights, NJ | 3 | $128K | 3.4% | |
| 12 | HomeTrust BankAsheville, NC | 2 | — | 2.3% | |
| 13 | Gulf Coast Bank and Trust CompanyNew Orleans, LA | 2 | — | 2.3% | |
| 14 | BayFirst National BankSaint Petersburg, FL | 2 | — | 2.3% | |
| 15 | JPMorgan Chase Bank, National AssociationColumbus, OH | 2 | — | 2.3% |
Industries
| # | Industry group (NAICS 4-digit) | Approvals | Share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Restaurants and Other Eating PlacesNAICS 7225 | 16 | 18.2% | |
| 2 | Other Amusement and Recreation IndustriesNAICS 7139 | 9 | 10.2% | |
| 3 | Building Material and Supplies DealersNAICS 4441 | 4 | 4.5% | |
| 4 | Personal Care ServicesNAICS 8121 | 4 | 4.5% | |
| 5 | Offices of DentistsNAICS 6212 | 3 | 3.4% | |
| 6 | Architectural, Engineering, and Related ServicesNAICS 5413 | 3 | 3.4% | |
| 7 | Other Personal ServicesNAICS 8129 | 3 | 3.4% | |
| 8 | Residential Building ConstructionNAICS 2361 | 3 | 3.4% | |
| 9 | Agencies, Brokerages, and Other Insurance Related ActivitiesNAICS 5242 | 2 | 2.3% | |
| 10 | Outpatient Care CentersNAICS 6214 | 2 | 2.3% |
Sectors
| # | NAICS sector | Approvals | Share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Accommodation and Food Services | 16 | 18.2% | |
| 2 | Retail Trade | 15 | 17.0% | |
| 3 | Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation | 10 | 11.4% | |
| 4 | Health Care and Social Assistance | 9 | 10.2% | |
| 5 | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 8 | 9.1% | |
| 6 | Other Services (except Public Administration) | 7 | 8.0% | |
| 7 | Manufacturing | 5 | 5.7% | |
| 8 | Construction | 4 | 4.5% |
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* | 14 | $4.5M | $175K | 1 | — | 15 | 56 |
| FY2025 | 30 | $21.1M | $387K | 0 | — | 30 | 315 |
| FY2024 | 21 | $10.4M | $300K | 1 | — | 22 | 177 |
| FY2023 | 13 | $3.0M | $150K | 2 | — | 15 | 175 |
| FY2022 | 6 | $2.7M | $409K | 3 | $2.5M | 9 | 35 |
| FY2021 | 11 | $10.4M | $428K | 1 | — | 12 | 613 |
| FY2020 | 8 | $2.2M | $194K | 1 | — | 9 | 46 |
| FY2019 | 23 | $21.8M | $363K | 1 | — | 24 | 338 |
| FY2018 | 10 | $8.8M | $302K | 3 | $1.9M | 13 | 112 |
| FY2017 | 15 | $7.5M | $309K | 1 | — | 16 | 159 |
| FY2016 | 20 | $6.2M | $213K | 2 | — | 22 | 159 |
In FY2016–FY2020, the five fiscal years before the current window, the county had 84 approvals.
Against North Carolina and the country
| FY2021–FY2025 | Orange County | North Carolina | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Approvals | 88 | 7,353 | 342,825 |
| Approvals per 1,000 establishments | 25.2 | 28.5 | 41.0 |
| Median 7(a) approval | $300K | $326K | $190K |
| Median 504 approval | $431K | $753K | $657K |
| Average approval | $587K | $731K | $573K |
| 504 share of approvals | 8.0% | 6.4% | 11.0% |
| Jobs supported per approval, as reported | 14.9 | 12.2 | 10.5 |
| Share of state approvals | 1.2% | 100.0% | — |
Approval sizes
- $50,000 or less22.7%20
- $50,001 to $150,00010.2%9
- $150,001 to $350,00020.5%18
- $350,001 to $1 million30.7%27
- $1 million to $2 million10.2%9
- Over $2 million5.7%5
Age of the businesses
- Existing, more than 2 years old39.8%35
- New business, 2 years or less15.9%14
- Startup, loan funds will open the business31.8%28
- Change of ownership12.5%11
Questions and answers
Which lenders make the most SBA loans in Orange County?
By approvals in FY2021 to FY2025: The Huntington National Bank (15), TowneBank (9), Business Expansion Funding Corporation (7), Wells Fargo Bank National Association (6), Live Oak Banking Company (5). Volume says how active a lender is, nothing about terms or service.
How large are typical SBA loans in Orange County?
The median 7(a) approval was $300K and the median 504 approval $431K; the North Carolina 7(a) median was $326K.
Which industries get the most SBA loans in Orange County?
Restaurants and Other Eating Places (16); Other Amusement and Recreation Industries (9); Building Material and Supplies Dealers (4); Personal Care Services (4); Offices of Dentists (3).
Is SBA lending in Orange County rising?
Approvals in the three latest complete fiscal years total 67, against 30 in the three before: rising (+123%).
How does Orange County compare with the rest of North Carolina?
25.2 approvals per 1,000 establishments against 28.5 statewide, and 88 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