County48th of 88 in Ohio by approvalsFIPS 39141
SBA loans in Ross County, Ohio
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 Ross County, Ohio, received 52 SBA loan approvals worth $11.1M in FY2021 to FY2025 (52 7(a), 0 504).
That is 41.8 approvals per 1,000 business establishments (1,245 establishments in 2023), below the Ohio figure of 72.3 and close to the national 41.0.
It ranks 48th of 88 Ohio counties with approvals. In FY2025 there were 11, down 15% on FY2024.
10 lenders had approvals here; the most active were The Huntington National Bank (42), Telhio Credit Union Inc (2) and Merchants Bank of Indiana (1). 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 Ross County
By number of approvals to businesses in the county, FY2021–FY2025; 10 lenders had at least one.
| # | Lender | Approvals | Dollars | Share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Huntington National BankColumbus, OH | 42 | $5.8M | 80.8% | |
| 2 | Telhio Credit Union IncColumbus, OH | 2 | — | 3.8% | |
| 3 | Merchants Bank of IndianaCarmel, IN | 1 | — | 1.9% | |
| 4 | Newtek Bank, National AssociationMiami, FL | 1 | — | 1.9% | |
| 5 | WesBanco Bank, Inc.Wheeling, WV | 1 | — | 1.9% | |
| 6 | Lendistry SBLC, LLCLos Angeles, CA | 1 | — | 1.9% | |
| 7 | Economic and Community Development InstituteColumbus, OH | 1 | — | 1.9% | |
| 8 | Fifth Third BankCincinnati, OH | 1 | — | 1.9% | |
| 9 | Celtic Bank CorporationSalt Lake City, UT | 1 | — | 1.9% | |
| 10 | Wells Fargo Bank National AssociationSioux Falls, SD | 1 | — | 1.9% |
Industries
| # | Industry group (NAICS 4-digit) | Approvals | Share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | General Freight TruckingNAICS 4841 | 7 | 13.5% | |
| 2 | Building Equipment ContractorsNAICS 2382 | 7 | 13.5% | |
| 3 | Personal Care ServicesNAICS 8121 | 5 | 9.6% | |
| 4 | Residential Building ConstructionNAICS 2361 | 4 | 7.7% | |
| 5 | Other Amusement and Recreation IndustriesNAICS 7139 | 3 | 5.8% | |
| 6 | Child Day Care ServicesNAICS 6244 | 2 | 3.8% | |
| 7 | Restaurants and Other Eating PlacesNAICS 7225 | 2 | 3.8% | |
| 8 | Services to Buildings and DwellingsNAICS 5617 | 2 | 3.8% | |
| 9 | Building Finishing ContractorsNAICS 2383 | 2 | 3.8% | |
| 10 | Other Food ManufacturingNAICS 3119 | 2 | 3.8% |
Sectors
| # | NAICS sector | Approvals | Share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Construction | 14 | 26.9% | |
| 2 | Other Services (except Public Administration) | 7 | 13.5% | |
| 3 | Transportation and Warehousing | 7 | 13.5% | |
| 4 | Manufacturing | 5 | 9.6% | |
| 5 | Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation | 4 | 7.7% | |
| 6 | Wholesale Trade | 3 | 5.8% | |
| 7 | Retail Trade | 3 | 5.8% | |
| 8 | Health Care and Social Assistance | 2 | 3.8% |
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* | 4 | $1.8M | $181K | 0 | — | 4 | 27 |
| FY2025 | 11 | $4.2M | $69K | 0 | — | 11 | 63 |
| FY2024 | 13 | $1.6M | $85K | 0 | — | 13 | 62 |
| FY2023 | 15 | $1.4M | $72K | 0 | — | 15 | 88 |
| FY2022 | 9 | $883K | $40K | 0 | — | 9 | 55 |
| FY2021 | 4 | $3.0M | $352K | 0 | — | 4 | 140 |
| FY2020 | 5 | $777K | $100K | 0 | — | 5 | 164 |
| FY2019 | 1 | — | — | 0 | — | 1 | 0 |
| FY2018 | 6 | $235K | $28K | 0 | — | 6 | 124 |
| FY2017 | 7 | $864K | $77K | 0 | — | 7 | 110 |
| FY2016 | 12 | $5.3M | $35K | 0 | — | 12 | 281 |
In FY2016–FY2020, the five fiscal years before the current window, the county had 31 approvals.
Against Ohio and the country
| FY2021–FY2025 | Ross County | Ohio | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Approvals | 52 | 18,439 | 342,825 |
| Approvals per 1,000 establishments | 41.8 | 72.3 | 41.0 |
| Median 7(a) approval | $71K | $99K | $190K |
| Median 504 approval | — | $496K | $657K |
| Average approval | $214K | $336K | $573K |
| 504 share of approvals | 0.0% | 4.3% | 11.0% |
| Jobs supported per approval, as reported | 7.8 | 8.1 | 10.5 |
| Share of state approvals | 0.3% | 100.0% | — |
Approval sizes
- $50,000 or less46.2%24
- $50,001 to $150,00028.8%15
- $150,001 to $350,00013.5%7
- $350,001 to $1 million7.7%4
- Over $2 million3.8%2
Age of the businesses
- Existing, more than 2 years old63.5%33
- New business, 2 years or less11.5%6
- Startup, loan funds will open the business23.1%12
- Change of ownership1.9%1
Questions and answers
Which lenders make the most SBA loans in Ross County?
By approvals in FY2021 to FY2025: The Huntington National Bank (42), Telhio Credit Union Inc (2), Merchants Bank of Indiana (1), Newtek Bank, National Association (1), WesBanco Bank, Inc. (1). Volume says how active a lender is, nothing about terms or service.
How large are typical SBA loans in Ross County?
The median 7(a) approval was $71K; the Ohio 7(a) median was $99K.
Which industries get the most SBA loans in Ross County?
General Freight Trucking (7); Building Equipment Contractors (7); Personal Care Services (5); Residential Building Construction (4); Other Amusement and Recreation Industries (3).
Is SBA lending in Ross County rising?
Approvals in the three latest complete fiscal years total 39, against 18 in the three before: rising (+117%).
How does Ross County compare with the rest of Ohio?
41.8 approvals per 1,000 establishments against 72.3 statewide, and 52 of the state's 18,439 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