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County4th of 72 in Nebraska by approvalsFIPS 31111
SBA loans in Lincoln County, Nebraska
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 Lincoln County, Nebraska, received 60 SBA loan approvals worth $24.4M in FY2021 to FY2025 (54 7(a), 6 504).
That is 58.9 approvals per 1,000 business establishments (1,018 establishments in 2023), above the Nebraska figure of 33.3 and above the national 41.0.
It ranks 4th of 72 Nebraska counties with approvals. In FY2025 there were 10, down 29% on FY2024.
9 lenders had approvals here; the most active were Hershey Bank (34), Western Nebraska Bank (11) and Nebraska Economic Development Corporation (5). The most common industry was general freight trucking.
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 Lincoln County
By number of approvals to businesses in the county, FY2021–FY2025; 9 lenders had at least one.
| # | Lender | Approvals | Dollars | Share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hershey BankHershey, NE | 34 | $15.8M | 56.7% | |
| 2 | Western Nebraska BankCurtis, NE | 11 | $881K | 18.3% | |
| 3 | Nebraska Economic Development CorporationLincoln, NE · CDC | 5 | $3.9M | 8.3% | |
| 4 | NebraskaLand BankNorth Platte, NE | 4 | $1.1M | 6.7% | |
| 5 | Dayspring BankGothenburg, NE | 2 | — | 3.3% | |
| 6 | Community Development ResourcesLincoln, NE · CDC | 1 | — | 1.7% | |
| 7 | Bruning BankBruning, NE | 1 | — | 1.7% | |
| 8 | First National Bank of OmahaOmaha, NE | 1 | — | 1.7% | |
| 9 | Readycap Lending, LLCBerkeley Heights, NJ | 1 | — | 1.7% |
Industries
| # | Industry group (NAICS 4-digit) | Approvals | Share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | General Freight TruckingNAICS 4841 | 9 | 15.0% | |
| 2 | Cattle Ranching and FarmingNAICS 1121 | 7 | 11.7% | |
| 3 | Restaurants and Other Eating PlacesNAICS 7225 | 5 | 8.3% | |
| 4 | Building Equipment ContractorsNAICS 2382 | 3 | 5.0% | |
| 5 | Other Personal ServicesNAICS 8129 | 3 | 5.0% | |
| 6 | Automotive Repair and MaintenanceNAICS 8111 | 3 | 5.0% | |
| 7 | Printing and Related Support ActivitiesNAICS 3231 | 3 | 5.0% | |
| 8 | Oilseed and Grain FarmingNAICS 1111 | 2 | 3.3% | |
| 9 | Residential Building ConstructionNAICS 2361 | 2 | 3.3% | |
| 10 | Child Day Care ServicesNAICS 6244 | 2 | 3.3% |
Sectors
| # | NAICS sector | Approvals | Share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Construction | 11 | 18.3% | |
| 2 | Transportation and Warehousing | 10 | 16.7% | |
| 3 | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 9 | 15.0% | |
| 4 | Other Services (except Public Administration) | 8 | 13.3% | |
| 5 | Accommodation and Food Services | 7 | 11.7% | |
| 6 | Health Care and Social Assistance | 3 | 5.0% | |
| 7 | Retail Trade | 3 | 5.0% | |
| 8 | Manufacturing | 3 | 5.0% |
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 | $588K | $220K | 0 | — | 3 | 57 |
| FY2025 | 8 | $1.2M | $73K | 2 | — | 10 | 117 |
| FY2024 | 13 | $13.4M | $350K | 1 | — | 14 | 145 |
| FY2023 | 9 | $911K | $76K | 1 | — | 10 | 38 |
| FY2022 | 10 | $545K | $48K | 0 | — | 10 | 49 |
| FY2021 | 14 | $3.3M | $157K | 2 | — | 16 | 47 |
| FY2020 | 3 | $347K | $54K | 1 | — | 4 | 13 |
| FY2019 | 3 | $351K | $156K | 0 | — | 3 | 14 |
| FY2018 | 10 | $1.5M | $98K | 1 | — | 11 | 59 |
| FY2017 | 13 | $7.9M | $135K | 2 | — | 15 | 152 |
| FY2016 | 15 | $2.4M | $91K | 3 | $4.3M | 18 | 183 |
In FY2016–FY2020, the five fiscal years before the current window, the county had 51 approvals.
Against Nebraska and the country
| FY2021–FY2025 | Lincoln County | Nebraska | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Approvals | 60 | 1,882 | 342,825 |
| Approvals per 1,000 establishments | 58.9 | 33.3 | 41.0 |
| Median 7(a) approval | $92K | $188K | $190K |
| Median 504 approval | $246K | $641K | $657K |
| Average approval | $407K | $517K | $573K |
| 504 share of approvals | 10.0% | 13.1% | 11.0% |
| Jobs supported per approval, as reported | 6.6 | 11.5 | 10.5 |
| Share of state approvals | 3.2% | 100.0% | — |
Approval sizes
- $50,000 or less28.3%17
- $50,001 to $150,00035.0%21
- $150,001 to $350,00015.0%9
- $350,001 to $1 million15.0%9
- $1 million to $2 million1.7%1
- Over $2 million5.0%3
Age of the businesses
- Existing, more than 2 years old55.0%33
- New business, 2 years or less20.0%12
- Startup, loan funds will open the business23.3%14
- Change of ownership1.7%1
Questions and answers
Which lenders make the most SBA loans in Lincoln County?
By approvals in FY2021 to FY2025: Hershey Bank (34), Western Nebraska Bank (11), Nebraska Economic Development Corporation (5), NebraskaLand Bank (4), Dayspring Bank (2). Volume says how active a lender is, nothing about terms or service.
How large are typical SBA loans in Lincoln County?
The median 7(a) approval was $92K and the median 504 approval $246K; the Nebraska 7(a) median was $188K.
Which industries get the most SBA loans in Lincoln County?
General Freight Trucking (9); Cattle Ranching and Farming (7); Restaurants and Other Eating Places (5); Building Equipment Contractors (3); Other Personal Services (3).
Is SBA lending in Lincoln County rising?
Approvals in the three latest complete fiscal years total 34, against 30 in the three before: rising (+13%).
How does Lincoln County compare with the rest of Nebraska?
58.9 approvals per 1,000 establishments against 33.3 statewide, and 60 of the state's 1,882 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