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County20th of 67 in Pennsylvania by approvalsFIPS 42049
SBA loans in Erie County, Pennsylvania
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 Erie County, Pennsylvania, received 179 SBA loan approvals worth $60.6M in FY2021 to FY2025 (168 7(a), 11 504).
That is 29.3 approvals per 1,000 business establishments (6,103 establishments in 2023), below the Pennsylvania figure of 36.7 and below the national 41.0.
It ranks 20th of 67 Pennsylvania counties with approvals. In FY2025 there were 29, down 29% on FY2024.
28 lenders had approvals here; the most active were Northwest Bank (71), The Huntington National Bank (45) and Empire State Certified Development Corporation (8). 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 Erie County
By number of approvals to businesses in the county, FY2021–FY2025; 28 lenders had at least one.
| # | Lender | Approvals | Dollars | Share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Northwest BankWarren, PA | 71 | $24.0M | 39.7% | |
| 2 | The Huntington National BankColumbus, OH | 45 | $4.4M | 25.1% | |
| 3 | Empire State Certified Development CorporationLatham, NY · CDC | 8 | $6.7M | 4.5% | |
| 4 | KeyBank National AssociationCleveland, OH | 6 | $948K | 3.4% | |
| 5 | PNC Bank, National AssociationWilmington, DE | 6 | $340K | 3.4% | |
| 6 | First National Bank of PennsylvaniaGreenville, PA | 4 | $2.9M | 2.2% | |
| 7 | Newtek Bank, National AssociationMiami, FL | 4 | $1.7M | 2.2% | |
| 8 | Northeast BankLewiston, ME | 4 | $720K | 2.2% | |
| 9 | CNB BankClearfield, PA | 4 | $451K | 2.2% | |
| 10 | Readycap Lending, LLCBerkeley Heights, NJ | 3 | $2.1M | 1.7% | |
| 11 | BayFirst National BankSaint Petersburg, FL | 3 | $391K | 1.7% | |
| 12 | Celtic Bank CorporationSalt Lake City, UT | 2 | — | 1.1% | |
| 13 | Fifth Third BankCincinnati, OH | 2 | — | 1.1% | |
| 14 | First Bank of the LakeOsage Beach, MO | 2 | — | 1.1% | |
| 15 | Regional Development Funding CorporationPittsburgh, PA · CDC | 2 | — | 1.1% |
Industries
| # | Industry group (NAICS 4-digit) | Approvals | Share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | General Freight TruckingNAICS 4841 | 15 | 8.4% | |
| 2 | Restaurants and Other Eating PlacesNAICS 7225 | 13 | 7.3% | |
| 3 | Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical ServicesNAICS 5419 | 8 | 4.5% | |
| 4 | Services to Buildings and DwellingsNAICS 5617 | 8 | 4.5% | |
| 5 | Other Amusement and Recreation IndustriesNAICS 7139 | 8 | 4.5% | |
| 6 | Building Finishing ContractorsNAICS 2383 | 8 | 4.5% | |
| 7 | Personal Care ServicesNAICS 8121 | 7 | 3.9% | |
| 8 | Beer, Wine, and Liquor StoresNAICS 4453 | 7 | 3.9% | |
| 9 | Automotive Repair and MaintenanceNAICS 8111 | 6 | 3.4% | |
| 10 | Other Specialty Trade ContractorsNAICS 2389 | 6 | 3.4% |
Sectors
| # | NAICS sector | Approvals | Share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Construction | 27 | 15.1% | |
| 2 | Retail Trade | 23 | 12.8% | |
| 3 | Accommodation and Food Services | 20 | 11.2% | |
| 4 | Transportation and Warehousing | 19 | 10.6% | |
| 5 | Other Services (except Public Administration) | 17 | 9.5% | |
| 6 | Manufacturing | 14 | 7.8% | |
| 7 | Health Care and Social Assistance | 12 | 6.7% | |
| 8 | Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 11 | 6.1% |
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* | 11 | $10.6M | $325K | 2 | — | 13 | 140 |
| FY2025 | 26 | $8.4M | $143K | 3 | $2.6M | 29 | 310 |
| FY2024 | 39 | $12.9M | $125K | 2 | — | 41 | 412 |
| FY2023 | 46 | $11.2M | $73K | 0 | — | 46 | 603 |
| FY2022 | 29 | $7.4M | $53K | 3 | $774K | 32 | 182 |
| FY2021 | 28 | $12.8M | $158K | 3 | $2.9M | 31 | 278 |
| FY2020 | 29 | $8.1M | $100K | 4 | $2.5M | 33 | 240 |
| FY2019 | 39 | $18.1M | $160K | 3 | $3.1M | 42 | 465 |
| FY2018 | 36 | $24.1M | $156K | 0 | — | 36 | 196 |
| FY2017 | 33 | $7.5M | $100K | 2 | — | 35 | 144 |
| FY2016 | 20 | $4.5M | $98K | 1 | — | 21 | 201 |
In FY2016–FY2020, the five fiscal years before the current window, the county had 167 approvals.
Against Pennsylvania and the country
| FY2021–FY2025 | Erie County | Pennsylvania | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Approvals | 179 | 11,283 | 342,825 |
| Approvals per 1,000 establishments | 29.3 | 36.7 | 41.0 |
| Median 7(a) approval | $100K | $150K | $190K |
| Median 504 approval | $617K | $607K | $657K |
| Average approval | $338K | $482K | $573K |
| 504 share of approvals | 6.1% | 6.5% | 11.0% |
| Jobs supported per approval, as reported | 10.0 | 10.3 | 10.5 |
| Share of state approvals | 1.6% | 100.0% | — |
Approval sizes
- $50,000 or less31.8%57
- $50,001 to $150,00026.3%47
- $150,001 to $350,00015.6%28
- $350,001 to $1 million17.9%32
- $1 million to $2 million6.1%11
- Over $2 million2.2%4
Age of the businesses
- Existing, more than 2 years old42.5%76
- New business, 2 years or less12.3%22
- Startup, loan funds will open the business25.1%45
- Change of ownership19.6%35
- Not answered0.6%1
Questions and answers
Which lenders make the most SBA loans in Erie County?
By approvals in FY2021 to FY2025: Northwest Bank (71), The Huntington National Bank (45), Empire State Certified Development Corporation (8), KeyBank National Association (6), PNC Bank, National Association (6). Volume says how active a lender is, nothing about terms or service.
How large are typical SBA loans in Erie County?
The median 7(a) approval was $100K and the median 504 approval $617K; the Pennsylvania 7(a) median was $150K.
Which industries get the most SBA loans in Erie County?
General Freight Trucking (15); Restaurants and Other Eating Places (13); Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services (8); Services to Buildings and Dwellings (8); Other Amusement and Recreation Industries (8).
Is SBA lending in Erie County rising?
Approvals in the three latest complete fiscal years total 116, against 96 in the three before: rising (+21%).
How does Erie County compare with the rest of Pennsylvania?
29.3 approvals per 1,000 establishments against 36.7 statewide, and 179 of the state's 11,283 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