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County37th of 62 in New York by approvalsFIPS 36045
SBA loans in Jefferson County, New York
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 59 loans to businesses in Jefferson County, New York, in FY2021 to FY2025, worth $22.3M: 54 under 7(a) and 5 under 504.
That is 25.1 approvals per 1,000 business establishments (2,348 establishments in 2023), below the New York figure of 38.1 and below the national 41.0.
It ranks 37th of 62 New York counties with approvals. In FY2025 there were 10, down 33% on FY2024.
17 lenders had approvals here; the most active were Watertown Savings Bank (23), Empire State Certified Development Corporation (5) and Manufacturers and Traders Trust Company (5). 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 Jefferson County
By number of approvals to businesses in the county, FY2021–FY2025; 17 lenders had at least one.
| # | Lender | Approvals | Dollars | Share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Watertown Savings BankWatertown, NY | 23 | $4.5M | 39.0% | |
| 2 | Empire State Certified Development CorporationLatham, NY · CDC | 5 | $2.3M | 8.5% | |
| 3 | Manufacturers and Traders Trust CompanyBuffalo, NY | 5 | $484K | 8.5% | |
| 4 | KeyBank National AssociationCleveland, OH | 5 | $163K | 8.5% | |
| 5 | Readycap Lending, LLCBerkeley Heights, NJ | 4 | $3.3M | 6.8% | |
| 6 | Northeast BankLewiston, ME | 4 | $1.1M | 6.8% | |
| 7 | Northwest BankWarren, PA | 2 | — | 3.4% | |
| 8 | Newtek Bank, National AssociationMiami, FL | 2 | — | 3.4% | |
| 9 | New York Business Development CorporationLatham, NY | 1 | — | 1.7% | |
| 10 | PromiseOne BankDuluth, GA | 1 | — | 1.7% | |
| 11 | Gulf Coast Bank and Trust CompanyNew Orleans, LA | 1 | — | 1.7% | |
| 12 | The MINT National BankKingwood, TX | 1 | — | 1.7% | |
| 13 | Newtek Small Business Finance, Inc.Lake Success, NY | 1 | — | 1.7% | |
| 14 | Community Bank, National AssociationCanton, NY | 1 | — | 1.7% | |
| 15 | BayFirst National BankSaint Petersburg, FL | 1 | — | 1.7% |
Industries
| # | Industry group (NAICS 4-digit) | Approvals | Share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Restaurants and Other Eating PlacesNAICS 7225 | 8 | 13.6% | |
| 2 | Grocery StoresNAICS 4451 | 5 | 8.5% | |
| 3 | Other Specialty Trade ContractorsNAICS 2389 | 4 | 6.8% | |
| 4 | General Freight TruckingNAICS 4841 | 3 | 5.1% | |
| 5 | Gasoline StationsNAICS 4571 | 3 | 5.1% | |
| 6 | Traveler AccommodationNAICS 7211 | 3 | 5.1% | |
| 7 | Other Amusement and Recreation IndustriesNAICS 7139 | 3 | 5.1% | |
| 8 | Other Schools and InstructionNAICS 6116 | 2 | 3.4% | |
| 9 | Cattle Ranching and FarmingNAICS 1121 | 2 | 3.4% | |
| 10 | Book Retailers and News DealersNAICS 4592 | 2 | 3.4% |
Sectors
| # | NAICS sector | Approvals | Share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Accommodation and Food Services | 13 | 22.0% | |
| 2 | Retail Trade | 12 | 20.3% | |
| 3 | Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation | 8 | 13.6% | |
| 4 | Construction | 6 | 10.2% | |
| 5 | Transportation and Warehousing | 5 | 8.5% | |
| 6 | Manufacturing | 3 | 5.1% | |
| 7 | Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 3 | 5.1% | |
| 8 | Educational Services | 2 | 3.4% |
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* | 7 | $4.1M | $200K | 0 | — | 7 | 94 |
| FY2025 | 9 | $4.6M | $201K | 1 | — | 10 | 87 |
| FY2024 | 14 | $4.3M | $225K | 1 | — | 15 | 170 |
| FY2023 | 9 | $6.3M | $117K | 1 | — | 10 | 48 |
| FY2022 | 7 | $1.4M | $105K | 0 | — | 7 | 32 |
| FY2021 | 15 | $3.5M | $200K | 2 | — | 17 | 91 |
| FY2020 | 11 | $3.2M | $293K | 0 | — | 11 | 54 |
| FY2019 | 14 | $3.2M | $110K | 0 | — | 14 | 46 |
| FY2018 | 8 | $764K | $98K | 0 | — | 8 | 36 |
| FY2017 | 22 | $8.9M | $71K | 3 | $1.7M | 25 | 168 |
| FY2016 | 11 | $2.6M | $188K | 1 | — | 12 | 68 |
In FY2016–FY2020, the five fiscal years before the current window, the county had 70 approvals.
Against New York and the country
| FY2021–FY2025 | Jefferson County | New York | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Approvals | 59 | 20,639 | 342,825 |
| Approvals per 1,000 establishments | 25.1 | 38.1 | 41.0 |
| Median 7(a) approval | $192K | $130K | $190K |
| Median 504 approval | $227K | $685K | $657K |
| Average approval | $378K | $414K | $573K |
| 504 share of approvals | 8.5% | 6.1% | 11.0% |
| Jobs supported per approval, as reported | 7.3 | 8.0 | 10.5 |
| Share of state approvals | 0.3% | 100.0% | — |
Approval sizes
- $50,000 or less16.9%10
- $50,001 to $150,00027.1%16
- $150,001 to $350,00035.6%21
- $350,001 to $1 million11.9%7
- $1 million to $2 million5.1%3
- Over $2 million3.4%2
Age of the businesses
- Existing, more than 2 years old45.8%27
- New business, 2 years or less22.0%13
- Startup, loan funds will open the business27.1%16
- Change of ownership5.1%3
Questions and answers
Which lenders make the most SBA loans in Jefferson County?
By approvals in FY2021 to FY2025: Watertown Savings Bank (23), Empire State Certified Development Corporation (5), Manufacturers and Traders Trust Company (5), KeyBank National Association (5), Readycap Lending, LLC (4). Volume says how active a lender is, nothing about terms or service.
How large are typical SBA loans in Jefferson County?
The median 7(a) approval was $192K and the median 504 approval $227K; the New York 7(a) median was $130K.
Which industries get the most SBA loans in Jefferson County?
Restaurants and Other Eating Places (8); Grocery Stores (5); Other Specialty Trade Contractors (4); General Freight Trucking (3); Gasoline Stations (3).
Is SBA lending in Jefferson County rising?
Approvals in the three latest complete fiscal years total 35, against 35 in the three before: broadly level (0%).
How does Jefferson County compare with the rest of New York?
25.1 approvals per 1,000 establishments against 38.1 statewide, and 59 of the state's 20,639 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