States › North Carolina › Rowan County
County31st of 99 in North Carolina by approvalsFIPS 37159
SBA loans in Rowan 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 Rowan County, North Carolina, received 50 SBA loan approvals worth $39.1M in FY2021 to FY2025 (49 7(a), 1 504).
That is 17.2 approvals per 1,000 business establishments (2,908 establishments in 2023), below the North Carolina figure of 28.5 and below the national 41.0.
It ranks 31st of 99 North Carolina counties with approvals. In FY2025 there were 14, up 27% on FY2024.
27 lenders had approvals here; the most active were Live Oak Banking Company (5), The Huntington National Bank (5) and Northeast Bank (4). The most common industry was lessors of real estate.
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 Rowan County
By number of approvals to businesses in the county, FY2021–FY2025; 27 lenders had at least one.
| # | Lender | Approvals | Dollars | Share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Live Oak Banking CompanyWilmington, NC | 5 | $5.4M | 10.0% | |
| 2 | The Huntington National BankColumbus, OH | 5 | $4.9M | 10.0% | |
| 3 | Northeast BankLewiston, ME | 4 | $450K | 8.0% | |
| 4 | First BankSouthern Pines, NC | 3 | $4.5M | 6.0% | |
| 5 | First National Bank of PennsylvaniaGreenville, PA | 3 | $2.4M | 6.0% | |
| 6 | The Fidelity BankFuquay Varina, NC | 3 | $1.1M | 6.0% | |
| 7 | GBankLas Vegas, NV | 2 | — | 4.0% | |
| 8 | Pinnacle BankNashville, TN | 2 | — | 4.0% | |
| 9 | Wells Fargo Bank National AssociationSioux Falls, SD | 2 | — | 4.0% | |
| 10 | BayFirst National BankSaint Petersburg, FL | 2 | — | 4.0% | |
| 11 | Readycap Lending, LLCBerkeley Heights, NJ | 2 | — | 4.0% | |
| 12 | TD Bank, National AssociationWilmington, DE | 2 | — | 4.0% | |
| 13 | First Internet Bank of IndianaFishers, IN | 1 | — | 2.0% | |
| 14 | Open BankLos Angeles, CA | 1 | — | 2.0% | |
| 15 | Celtic Bank CorporationSalt Lake City, UT | 1 | — | 2.0% |
Industries
| # | Industry group (NAICS 4-digit) | Approvals | Share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lessors of Real EstateNAICS 5311 | 4 | 8.0% | |
| 2 | Restaurants and Other Eating PlacesNAICS 7225 | 4 | 8.0% | |
| 3 | Traveler AccommodationNAICS 7211 | 3 | 6.0% | |
| 4 | Soap, Cleaning Compound, and Toilet Preparation ManufacturingNAICS 3256 | 3 | 6.0% | |
| 5 | Machinery, Equipment, and Supplies Merchant WholesalersNAICS 4238 | 3 | 6.0% | |
| 6 | General Rental CentersNAICS 5323 | 2 | 4.0% | |
| 7 | Building Equipment ContractorsNAICS 2382 | 2 | 4.0% | |
| 8 | Automotive Repair and MaintenanceNAICS 8111 | 2 | 4.0% | |
| 9 | Other General Purpose Machinery ManufacturingNAICS 3339 | 2 | 4.0% | |
| 10 | Home Health Care ServicesNAICS 6216 | 2 | 4.0% |
Sectors
| # | NAICS sector | Approvals | Share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Construction | 10 | 20.0% | |
| 2 | Accommodation and Food Services | 7 | 14.0% | |
| 3 | Real Estate and Rental and Leasing | 6 | 12.0% | |
| 4 | Other Services (except Public Administration) | 5 | 10.0% | |
| 5 | Manufacturing | 5 | 10.0% | |
| 6 | Health Care and Social Assistance | 4 | 8.0% | |
| 7 | Wholesale Trade | 3 | 6.0% | |
| 8 | Educational Services | 3 | 6.0% |
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* | 8 | $12.2M | $1.1M | 3 | $6.6M | 11 | 147 |
| FY2025 | 14 | $12.1M | $220K | 0 | — | 14 | 182 |
| FY2024 | 11 | $8.0M | $372K | 0 | — | 11 | 92 |
| FY2023 | 9 | $5.3M | $525K | 1 | — | 10 | 78 |
| FY2022 | 8 | $5.3M | $188K | 0 | — | 8 | 78 |
| FY2021 | 7 | $7.1M | $761K | 0 | — | 7 | 46 |
| FY2020 | 8 | $5.3M | $455K | 2 | — | 10 | 120 |
| FY2019 | 5 | $7.2M | $975K | 1 | — | 6 | 49 |
| FY2018 | 6 | $13.4M | $1.7M | 1 | — | 7 | 151 |
| FY2017 | 10 | $1.7M | $125K | 4 | $6.9M | 14 | 197 |
| FY2016 | 10 | $1.2M | $13K | 2 | — | 12 | 74 |
In FY2016–FY2020, the five fiscal years before the current window, the county had 49 approvals.
Against North Carolina and the country
| FY2021–FY2025 | Rowan County | North Carolina | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Approvals | 50 | 7,353 | 342,825 |
| Approvals per 1,000 establishments | 17.2 | 28.5 | 41.0 |
| Median 7(a) approval | $306K | $326K | $190K |
| Median 504 approval | — | $753K | $657K |
| Average approval | $781K | $731K | $573K |
| 504 share of approvals | 2.0% | 6.4% | 11.0% |
| Jobs supported per approval, as reported | 9.5 | 12.2 | 10.5 |
| Share of state approvals | 0.7% | 100.0% | — |
Approval sizes
- $50,000 or less22.0%11
- $50,001 to $150,00012.0%6
- $150,001 to $350,00016.0%8
- $350,001 to $1 million24.0%12
- $1 million to $2 million12.0%6
- Over $2 million14.0%7
Age of the businesses
- Existing, more than 2 years old36.0%18
- New business, 2 years or less22.0%11
- Startup, loan funds will open the business22.0%11
- Change of ownership20.0%10
Questions and answers
Which lenders make the most SBA loans in Rowan County?
By approvals in FY2021 to FY2025: Live Oak Banking Company (5), The Huntington National Bank (5), Northeast Bank (4), First Bank (3), First National Bank of Pennsylvania (3). Volume says how active a lender is, nothing about terms or service.
How large are typical SBA loans in Rowan County?
The median 7(a) approval was $306K; the North Carolina 7(a) median was $326K.
Which industries get the most SBA loans in Rowan County?
Lessors of Real Estate (4); Restaurants and Other Eating Places (4); Traveler Accommodation (3); Soap, Cleaning Compound, and Toilet Preparation Manufacturing (3); Machinery, Equipment, and Supplies Merchant Wholesalers (3).
Is SBA lending in Rowan County rising?
Approvals in the three latest complete fiscal years total 35, against 25 in the three before: rising (+40%).
How does Rowan County compare with the rest of North Carolina?
17.2 approvals per 1,000 establishments against 28.5 statewide, and 50 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