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County6th of 41 in North Dakota by approvalsFIPS 38089
SBA loans in Stark County, North Dakota
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 34 loans to businesses in Stark County, North Dakota, in FY2021 to FY2025, worth $15.9M: 18 under 7(a) and 16 under 504.
That is 27.8 approvals per 1,000 business establishments (1,222 establishments in 2023), below the North Dakota figure of 37.8 and below the national 41.0.
It ranks 6th of 41 North Dakota counties with approvals. In FY2025 there were 8, down 20% on FY2024.
12 lenders had approvals here; the most active were Dakota Business Lending (13), Choice Financial Group (6) and Lewis & Clark Certified Development Company (3). 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 Stark County
By number of approvals to businesses in the county, FY2021–FY2025; 12 lenders had at least one.
| # | Lender | Approvals | Dollars | Share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dakota Business LendingFargo, ND · CDC | 13 | $5.0M | 38.2% | |
| 2 | Choice Financial GroupFargo, ND | 6 | $1.4M | 17.6% | |
| 3 | Lewis & Clark Certified Development CompanyMandan, ND · CDC | 3 | $1.8M | 8.8% | |
| 4 | Wallis BankWallis, TX | 2 | — | 5.9% | |
| 5 | Dacotah BankAberdeen, SD | 2 | — | 5.9% | |
| 6 | U.S. Bank, National AssociationCincinnati, OH | 2 | — | 5.9% | |
| 7 | Readycap Lending, LLCBerkeley Heights, NJ | 1 | — | 2.9% | |
| 8 | Centerstone SBA Lending, Inc.Los Angeles, CA | 1 | — | 2.9% | |
| 9 | Grasshopper Bank National AssociationNew York, NY | 1 | — | 2.9% | |
| 10 | Old National BankEvansville, IN | 1 | — | 2.9% | |
| 11 | Cornerstone BankFargo, ND | 1 | — | 2.9% | |
| 12 | Wells Fargo Bank National AssociationSioux Falls, SD | 1 | — | 2.9% |
Industries
| # | Industry group (NAICS 4-digit) | Approvals | Share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Restaurants and Other Eating PlacesNAICS 7225 | 4 | 11.8% | |
| 2 | Automotive Repair and MaintenanceNAICS 8111 | 4 | 11.8% | |
| 3 | Accounting, Tax Preparation, Bookkeeping, and Payroll ServicesNAICS 5412 | 3 | 8.8% | |
| 4 | Traveler AccommodationNAICS 7211 | 2 | 5.9% | |
| 5 | Gasoline StationsNAICS 4571 | 2 | 5.9% | |
| 6 | Support Activities for MiningNAICS 2131 | 2 | 5.9% | |
| 7 | Offices of Other Health PractitionersNAICS 6213 | 2 | 5.9% | |
| 8 | Services to Buildings and DwellingsNAICS 5617 | 2 | 5.9% | |
| 9 | Animal Food ManufacturingNAICS 3111 | 1 | 2.9% | |
| 10 | Offices of DentistsNAICS 6212 | 1 | 2.9% |
Sectors
| # | NAICS sector | Approvals | Share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Accommodation and Food Services | 6 | 17.6% | |
| 2 | Retail Trade | 5 | 14.7% | |
| 3 | Other Services (except Public Administration) | 5 | 14.7% | |
| 4 | Health Care and Social Assistance | 4 | 11.8% | |
| 5 | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 4 | 11.8% | |
| 6 | Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 4 | 11.8% | |
| 7 | Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction | 2 | 5.9% | |
| 8 | Manufacturing | 1 | 2.9% |
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* | 2 | — | — | 2 | — | 4 | 21 |
| FY2025 | 5 | $4.7M | $687K | 3 | $583K | 8 | 59 |
| FY2024 | 4 | $757K | $145K | 6 | $3.4M | 10 | 151 |
| FY2023 | 4 | $616K | $163K | 1 | — | 5 | 76 |
| FY2022 | 3 | $673K | $258K | 4 | $1.2M | 7 | 31 |
| FY2021 | 2 | — | — | 2 | — | 4 | 138 |
| FY2020 | 3 | $2.6M | $300K | 5 | $2.9M | 8 | 45 |
| FY2019 | 2 | — | — | 9 | $4.3M | 11 | 145 |
| FY2018 | 5 | $500K | $120K | 2 | — | 7 | 30 |
| FY2017 | 3 | $87K | $20K | 3 | $2.3M | 6 | 102 |
| FY2016 | 1 | — | — | 0 | — | 1 | 1 |
In FY2016–FY2020, the five fiscal years before the current window, the county had 33 approvals.
Against North Dakota and the country
| FY2021–FY2025 | Stark County | North Dakota | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Approvals | 34 | 960 | 342,825 |
| Approvals per 1,000 establishments | 27.8 | 37.8 | 41.0 |
| Median 7(a) approval | $242K | $195K | $190K |
| Median 504 approval | $302K | $478K | $657K |
| Average approval | $468K | $568K | $573K |
| 504 share of approvals | 47.1% | 33.9% | 11.0% |
| Jobs supported per approval, as reported | 13.4 | 9.7 | 10.5 |
| Share of state approvals | 3.5% | 100.0% | — |
Approval sizes
- $50,000 or less8.8%3
- $50,001 to $150,00017.6%6
- $150,001 to $350,00041.2%14
- $350,001 to $1 million23.5%8
- $1 million to $2 million2.9%1
- Over $2 million5.9%2
Age of the businesses
- Existing, more than 2 years old61.8%21
- New business, 2 years or less14.7%5
- Startup, loan funds will open the business20.6%7
- Change of ownership2.9%1
Questions and answers
Which lenders make the most SBA loans in Stark County?
By approvals in FY2021 to FY2025: Dakota Business Lending (13), Choice Financial Group (6), Lewis & Clark Certified Development Company (3), Wallis Bank (2), Dacotah Bank (2). Volume says how active a lender is, nothing about terms or service.
How large are typical SBA loans in Stark County?
The median 7(a) approval was $242K and the median 504 approval $302K; the North Dakota 7(a) median was $195K.
Which industries get the most SBA loans in Stark County?
Restaurants and Other Eating Places (4); Automotive Repair and Maintenance (4); Accounting, Tax Preparation, Bookkeeping, and Payroll Services (3); Traveler Accommodation (2); Gasoline Stations (2).
Is SBA lending in Stark County rising?
Approvals in the three latest complete fiscal years total 23, against 19 in the three before: rising (+21%).
How does Stark County compare with the rest of North Dakota?
27.8 approvals per 1,000 establishments against 37.8 statewide, and 34 of the state's 960 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