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County46th of 99 in North Carolina by approvalsFIPS 37155
SBA loans in Robeson 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 33 loans to businesses in Robeson County, North Carolina, in FY2021 to FY2025, worth $26.3M: 30 under 7(a) and 3 under 504.
That is 18.5 approvals per 1,000 business establishments (1,787 establishments in 2023), below the North Carolina figure of 28.5 and below the national 41.0.
It ranks 46th of 99 North Carolina counties with approvals. In FY2025 there were 9.
17 lenders had approvals here; the most active were First Financial Bank (5), Live Oak Banking Company (5) and Readycap Lending, LLC (4). The most common industry was traveler accommodation.
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 Robeson County
By number of approvals to businesses in the county, FY2021–FY2025; 17 lenders had at least one.
| # | Lender | Approvals | Dollars | Share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | First Financial BankEl Dorado, AR | 5 | $4.4M | 15.2% | |
| 2 | Live Oak Banking CompanyWilmington, NC | 5 | $3.3M | 15.2% | |
| 3 | Readycap Lending, LLCBerkeley Heights, NJ | 4 | $6.1M | 12.1% | |
| 4 | The Huntington National BankColumbus, OH | 3 | $1.2M | 9.1% | |
| 5 | 504 Capital CorporationChesapeake, VA · CDC | 2 | — | 6.1% | |
| 6 | First National Bank of PennsylvaniaGreenville, PA | 2 | — | 6.1% | |
| 7 | Northeast BankLewiston, ME | 2 | — | 6.1% | |
| 8 | US Metro BankGarden Grove, CA | 1 | — | 3.0% | |
| 9 | Peoples BankMendenhall, MS | 1 | — | 3.0% | |
| 10 | Woori America BankNew York, NY | 1 | — | 3.0% | |
| 11 | Grasshopper Bank National AssociationNew York, NY | 1 | — | 3.0% | |
| 12 | United Community BankGreenville, SC | 1 | — | 3.0% | |
| 13 | Business Expansion Funding CorporationCharlotte, NC · CDC | 1 | — | 3.0% | |
| 14 | Bank of Oak RidgeOak Ridge, NC | 1 | — | 3.0% | |
| 15 | Newtek Bank, National AssociationMiami, FL | 1 | — | 3.0% |
Industries
| # | Industry group (NAICS 4-digit) | Approvals | Share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Traveler AccommodationNAICS 7211 | 6 | 18.2% | |
| 2 | Poultry and Egg ProductionNAICS 1123 | 5 | 15.2% | |
| 3 | Automobile DealersNAICS 4411 | 2 | 6.1% | |
| 4 | Lessors of Real EstateNAICS 5311 | 2 | 6.1% | |
| 5 | Death Care ServicesNAICS 8122 | 2 | 6.1% | |
| 6 | Offices of PhysiciansNAICS 6211 | 2 | 6.1% | |
| 7 | Child Day Care ServicesNAICS 6244 | 2 | 6.1% | |
| 8 | Services to Buildings and DwellingsNAICS 5617 | 2 | 6.1% | |
| 9 | Restaurants and Other Eating PlacesNAICS 7225 | 1 | 3.0% | |
| 10 | Continuing Care Retirement Communities and Assisted Living Facilities for the ElderlyNAICS 6233 | 1 | 3.0% |
Sectors
| # | NAICS sector | Approvals | Share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Accommodation and Food Services | 7 | 21.2% | |
| 2 | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 5 | 15.2% | |
| 3 | Health Care and Social Assistance | 5 | 15.2% | |
| 4 | Other Services (except Public Administration) | 4 | 12.1% | |
| 5 | Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 3 | 9.1% | |
| 6 | Retail Trade | 2 | 6.1% | |
| 7 | Real Estate and Rental and Leasing | 2 | 6.1% | |
| 8 | Wholesale Trade | 1 | 3.0% |
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* | 3 | $649K | $200K | 0 | — | 3 | 10 |
| FY2025 | 8 | $4.9M | $313K | 1 | — | 9 | 83 |
| FY2024 | 8 | $6.9M | $650K | 0 | — | 8 | 368 |
| FY2023 | 6 | $3.0M | $326K | 1 | — | 7 | 29 |
| FY2022 | 4 | $6.2M | $1.2M | 1 | — | 5 | 53 |
| FY2021 | 4 | $4.0M | $528K | 0 | — | 4 | 68 |
| FY2020 | 6 | $5.5M | $254K | 0 | — | 6 | 68 |
| FY2019 | 6 | $4.0M | $734K | 0 | — | 6 | 101 |
| FY2018 | 10 | $21.1M | $3.0M | 0 | — | 10 | 120 |
| FY2017 | 5 | $7.4M | $1.6M | 0 | — | 5 | 123 |
| FY2016 | 8 | $6.6M | $557K | 0 | — | 8 | 85 |
In FY2016–FY2020, the five fiscal years before the current window, the county had 35 approvals.
Against North Carolina and the country
| FY2021–FY2025 | Robeson County | North Carolina | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Approvals | 33 | 7,353 | 342,825 |
| Approvals per 1,000 establishments | 18.5 | 28.5 | 41.0 |
| Median 7(a) approval | $497K | $326K | $190K |
| Median 504 approval | $462K | $753K | $657K |
| Average approval | $798K | $731K | $573K |
| 504 share of approvals | 9.1% | 6.4% | 11.0% |
| Jobs supported per approval, as reported | 18.2 | 12.2 | 10.5 |
| Share of state approvals | 0.4% | 100.0% | — |
Approval sizes
- $50,000 or less6.1%2
- $50,001 to $150,00012.1%4
- $150,001 to $350,00018.2%6
- $350,001 to $1 million36.4%12
- $1 million to $2 million18.2%6
- Over $2 million9.1%3
Age of the businesses
- Existing, more than 2 years old54.5%18
- New business, 2 years or less9.1%3
- Startup, loan funds will open the business21.2%7
- Change of ownership15.2%5
Questions and answers
Which lenders make the most SBA loans in Robeson County?
By approvals in FY2021 to FY2025: First Financial Bank (5), Live Oak Banking Company (5), Readycap Lending, LLC (4), The Huntington National Bank (3), 504 Capital Corporation (2). Volume says how active a lender is, nothing about terms or service.
How large are typical SBA loans in Robeson County?
The median 7(a) approval was $497K and the median 504 approval $462K; the North Carolina 7(a) median was $326K.
Which industries get the most SBA loans in Robeson County?
Traveler Accommodation (6); Poultry and Egg Production (5); Automobile Dealers (2); Lessors of Real Estate (2); Death Care Services (2).
Is SBA lending in Robeson County rising?
Approvals in the three latest complete fiscal years total 24, against 15 in the three before: rising (+60%).
How does Robeson County compare with the rest of North Carolina?
18.5 approvals per 1,000 establishments against 28.5 statewide, and 33 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