States › North Carolina › Wilkes County
County34th of 99 in North Carolina by approvalsFIPS 37193
SBA loans in Wilkes 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 Wilkes County, North Carolina, received 45 SBA loan approvals worth $23.5M in FY2021 to FY2025 (42 7(a), 3 504).
That is 38.9 approvals per 1,000 business establishments (1,157 establishments in 2023), above the North Carolina figure of 28.5 and close to the national 41.0.
It ranks 34th of 99 North Carolina counties with approvals. In FY2025 there were 12, down 8% on FY2024.
17 lenders had approvals here; the most active were First Community Bank (22), BayFirst National Bank (3) and Business Expansion Funding Corporation (2). The most common industry was residential building construction.
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 Wilkes County
By number of approvals to businesses in the county, FY2021–FY2025; 17 lenders had at least one.
| # | Lender | Approvals | Dollars | Share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | First Community BankBluefield, VA | 22 | $10.1M | 48.9% | |
| 2 | BayFirst National BankSaint Petersburg, FL | 3 | $450K | 6.7% | |
| 3 | Business Expansion Funding CorporationCharlotte, NC · CDC | 2 | — | 4.4% | |
| 4 | First BankSouthern Pines, NC | 2 | — | 4.4% | |
| 5 | Bank Five NineOconomowoc, WI | 2 | — | 4.4% | |
| 6 | Northeast BankLewiston, ME | 2 | — | 4.4% | |
| 7 | Wells Fargo Bank National AssociationSioux Falls, SD | 2 | — | 4.4% | |
| 8 | Newtek Small Business Finance, Inc.Lake Success, NY | 1 | — | 2.2% | |
| 9 | Ameris BankAtlanta, GA | 1 | — | 2.2% | |
| 10 | Beacon Bank and TrustBrookline, MA | 1 | — | 2.2% | |
| 11 | 504 Capital CorporationChesapeake, VA · CDC | 1 | — | 2.2% | |
| 12 | Pinnacle BankNashville, TN | 1 | — | 2.2% | |
| 13 | Citizens BankElizabethton, TN | 1 | — | 2.2% | |
| 14 | Truist BankCharlotte, NC | 1 | — | 2.2% | |
| 15 | Live Oak Banking CompanyWilmington, NC | 1 | — | 2.2% |
Industries
| # | Industry group (NAICS 4-digit) | Approvals | Share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Residential Building ConstructionNAICS 2361 | 8 | 17.8% | |
| 2 | Support Activities for Road TransportationNAICS 4884 | 3 | 6.7% | |
| 3 | Household and Institutional Furniture and Kitchen Cabinet ManufacturingNAICS 3371 | 3 | 6.7% | |
| 4 | Lessors of Real EstateNAICS 5311 | 3 | 6.7% | |
| 5 | Other Amusement and Recreation IndustriesNAICS 7139 | 2 | 4.4% | |
| 6 | Gasoline StationsNAICS 4471 | 2 | 4.4% | |
| 7 | Building Finishing ContractorsNAICS 2383 | 2 | 4.4% | |
| 8 | Gasoline StationsNAICS 4571 | 2 | 4.4% | |
| 9 | Lawn and Garden Equipment and Supplies StoresNAICS 4442 | 2 | 4.4% | |
| 10 | Automotive Repair and MaintenanceNAICS 8111 | 2 | 4.4% |
Sectors
| # | NAICS sector | Approvals | Share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Construction | 12 | 26.7% | |
| 2 | Retail Trade | 8 | 17.8% | |
| 3 | Transportation and Warehousing | 6 | 13.3% | |
| 4 | Real Estate and Rental and Leasing | 4 | 8.9% | |
| 5 | Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation | 3 | 6.7% | |
| 6 | Manufacturing | 3 | 6.7% | |
| 7 | Health Care and Social Assistance | 3 | 6.7% | |
| 8 | Accommodation and Food Services | 2 | 4.4% |
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* | 10 | $9.5M | $403K | 0 | — | 10 | 64 |
| FY2025 | 12 | $5.3M | $238K | 0 | — | 12 | 38 |
| FY2024 | 12 | $6.5M | $500K | 1 | — | 13 | 77 |
| FY2023 | 4 | $3.3M | $162K | 0 | — | 4 | 10 |
| FY2022 | 7 | $1.9M | $255K | 1 | — | 8 | 25 |
| FY2021 | 7 | $3.9M | $390K | 1 | — | 8 | 50 |
| FY2020 | 8 | $1.9M | $130K | 0 | — | 8 | 70 |
| FY2019 | 13 | $6.7M | $150K | 0 | — | 13 | 159 |
| FY2018 | 5 | $509K | $125K | 0 | — | 5 | 11 |
| FY2017 | 12 | $7.6M | $180K | 0 | — | 12 | 62 |
| FY2016 | 10 | $2.9M | $93K | 0 | — | 10 | 29 |
In FY2016–FY2020, the five fiscal years before the current window, the county had 48 approvals.
Against North Carolina and the country
| FY2021–FY2025 | Wilkes County | North Carolina | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Approvals | 45 | 7,353 | 342,825 |
| Approvals per 1,000 establishments | 38.9 | 28.5 | 41.0 |
| Median 7(a) approval | $300K | $326K | $190K |
| Median 504 approval | $713K | $753K | $657K |
| Average approval | $523K | $731K | $573K |
| 504 share of approvals | 6.7% | 6.4% | 11.0% |
| Jobs supported per approval, as reported | 4.4 | 12.2 | 10.5 |
| Share of state approvals | 0.6% | 100.0% | — |
Approval sizes
- $50,000 or less8.9%4
- $50,001 to $150,00020.0%9
- $150,001 to $350,00024.4%11
- $350,001 to $1 million33.3%15
- $1 million to $2 million11.1%5
- Over $2 million2.2%1
Age of the businesses
- Existing, more than 2 years old55.6%25
- New business, 2 years or less22.2%10
- Startup, loan funds will open the business15.6%7
- Change of ownership6.7%3
Questions and answers
Which lenders make the most SBA loans in Wilkes County?
By approvals in FY2021 to FY2025: First Community Bank (22), BayFirst National Bank (3), Business Expansion Funding Corporation (2), First Bank (2), Bank Five Nine (2). Volume says how active a lender is, nothing about terms or service.
How large are typical SBA loans in Wilkes County?
The median 7(a) approval was $300K and the median 504 approval $713K; the North Carolina 7(a) median was $326K.
Which industries get the most SBA loans in Wilkes County?
Residential Building Construction (8); Support Activities for Road Transportation (3); Household and Institutional Furniture and Kitchen Cabinet Manufacturing (3); Lessors of Real Estate (3); Other Amusement and Recreation Industries (2).
Is SBA lending in Wilkes County rising?
Approvals in the three latest complete fiscal years total 29, against 24 in the three before: rising (+21%).
How does Wilkes County compare with the rest of North Carolina?
38.9 approvals per 1,000 establishments against 28.5 statewide, and 45 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