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County14th of 46 in South Carolina by approvalsFIPS 45003
SBA loans in Aiken County, South Carolina
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 Aiken County, South Carolina, received 74 SBA loan approvals worth $53.7M in FY2021 to FY2025 (68 7(a), 6 504).
That is 24.1 approvals per 1,000 business establishments (3,067 establishments in 2023), below the South Carolina figure of 30.7 and below the national 41.0.
It ranks 14th of 46 South Carolina counties with approvals. In FY2025 there were 16, down 16% on FY2024.
35 lenders had approvals here; the most active were Live Oak Banking Company (8), TD Bank, National Association (8) and Security Federal Bank (6). 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 Aiken County
By number of approvals to businesses in the county, FY2021–FY2025; 35 lenders had at least one.
| # | Lender | Approvals | Dollars | Share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Live Oak Banking CompanyWilmington, NC | 8 | $7.5M | 10.8% | |
| 2 | TD Bank, National AssociationWilmington, DE | 8 | $4.4M | 10.8% | |
| 3 | Security Federal BankAiken, SC | 6 | $1.8M | 8.1% | |
| 4 | Newtek Small Business Finance, Inc.Lake Success, NY | 5 | $3.2M | 6.8% | |
| 5 | CSRA Local Development CorporationAugusta, GA · CDC | 3 | $2.9M | 4.1% | |
| 6 | HomeTrust BankAsheville, NC | 3 | $1.6M | 4.1% | |
| 7 | The Huntington National BankColumbus, OH | 3 | $713K | 4.1% | |
| 8 | United Midwest Savings Bank National AssociationDe Graff, OH | 3 | $450K | 4.1% | |
| 9 | Wells Fargo Bank National AssociationSioux Falls, SD | 3 | $55K | 4.1% | |
| 10 | GBankLas Vegas, NV | 2 | — | 2.7% | |
| 11 | Pinnacle BankNashville, TN | 2 | — | 2.7% | |
| 12 | First-Citizens Bank & Trust CompanyRaleigh, NC | 2 | — | 2.7% | |
| 13 | Celtic Bank CorporationSalt Lake City, UT | 2 | — | 2.7% | |
| 14 | Newtek Bank, National AssociationMiami, FL | 2 | — | 2.7% | |
| 15 | SouthState Bank, National AssociationWinter Haven, FL | 2 | — | 2.7% |
Industries
| # | Industry group (NAICS 4-digit) | Approvals | Share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Restaurants and Other Eating PlacesNAICS 7225 | 11 | 14.9% | |
| 2 | Automotive Repair and MaintenanceNAICS 8111 | 7 | 9.5% | |
| 3 | Miscellaneous Nondurable Goods Merchant WholesalersNAICS 4249 | 4 | 5.4% | |
| 4 | Traveler AccommodationNAICS 7211 | 3 | 4.1% | |
| 5 | Lessors of Real EstateNAICS 5311 | 2 | 2.7% | |
| 6 | Paper and Paper Product Merchant WholesalersNAICS 4241 | 2 | 2.7% | |
| 7 | Building Equipment ContractorsNAICS 2382 | 2 | 2.7% | |
| 8 | Death Care ServicesNAICS 8122 | 2 | 2.7% | |
| 9 | Child Day Care ServicesNAICS 6244 | 2 | 2.7% | |
| 10 | Offices of DentistsNAICS 6212 | 2 | 2.7% |
Sectors
| # | NAICS sector | Approvals | Share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Accommodation and Food Services | 16 | 21.6% | |
| 2 | Retail Trade | 12 | 16.2% | |
| 3 | Other Services (except Public Administration) | 11 | 14.9% | |
| 4 | Wholesale Trade | 6 | 8.1% | |
| 5 | Health Care and Social Assistance | 5 | 6.8% | |
| 6 | Construction | 5 | 6.8% | |
| 7 | Transportation and Warehousing | 5 | 6.8% | |
| 8 | Real Estate and Rental and Leasing | 4 | 5.4% |
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* | 12 | $11.3M | $608K | 3 | $2.3M | 15 | 565 |
| FY2025 | 16 | $15.8M | $488K | 0 | — | 16 | 184 |
| FY2024 | 18 | $5.0M | $150K | 1 | — | 19 | 281 |
| FY2023 | 15 | $11.3M | $500K | 2 | — | 17 | 120 |
| FY2022 | 8 | $5.6M | $379K | 1 | — | 9 | 89 |
| FY2021 | 11 | $11.7M | $640K | 2 | — | 13 | 138 |
| FY2020 | 8 | $9.3M | $838K | 1 | — | 9 | 40 |
| FY2019 | 11 | $8.2M | $350K | 1 | — | 12 | 157 |
| FY2018 | 8 | $8.8M | $533K | 0 | — | 8 | 115 |
| FY2017 | 7 | $9.7M | $660K | 2 | — | 9 | 161 |
| FY2016 | 8 | $6.0M | $476K | 3 | $2.4M | 11 | 76 |
In FY2016–FY2020, the five fiscal years before the current window, the county had 49 approvals.
Against South Carolina and the country
| FY2021–FY2025 | Aiken County | South Carolina | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Approvals | 74 | 3,775 | 342,825 |
| Approvals per 1,000 establishments | 24.1 | 30.7 | 41.0 |
| Median 7(a) approval | $466K | $260K | $190K |
| Median 504 approval | $525K | $892K | $657K |
| Average approval | $726K | $666K | $573K |
| 504 share of approvals | 8.1% | 6.5% | 11.0% |
| Jobs supported per approval, as reported | 11.0 | 11.3 | 10.5 |
| Share of state approvals | 2.0% | 100.0% | — |
Approval sizes
- $50,000 or less6.8%5
- $50,001 to $150,00021.6%16
- $150,001 to $350,00017.6%13
- $350,001 to $1 million28.4%21
- $1 million to $2 million16.2%12
- Over $2 million9.5%7
Age of the businesses
- Existing, more than 2 years old41.9%31
- New business, 2 years or less14.9%11
- Startup, loan funds will open the business20.3%15
- Change of ownership23.0%17
Questions and answers
Which lenders make the most SBA loans in Aiken County?
By approvals in FY2021 to FY2025: Live Oak Banking Company (8), TD Bank, National Association (8), Security Federal Bank (6), Newtek Small Business Finance, Inc. (5), CSRA Local Development Corporation (3). Volume says how active a lender is, nothing about terms or service.
How large are typical SBA loans in Aiken County?
The median 7(a) approval was $466K and the median 504 approval $525K; the South Carolina 7(a) median was $260K.
Which industries get the most SBA loans in Aiken County?
Restaurants and Other Eating Places (11); Automotive Repair and Maintenance (7); Miscellaneous Nondurable Goods Merchant Wholesalers (4); Traveler Accommodation (3); Lessors of Real Estate (2).
Is SBA lending in Aiken County rising?
Approvals in the three latest complete fiscal years total 52, against 31 in the three before: rising (+68%).
How does Aiken County compare with the rest of South Carolina?
24.1 approvals per 1,000 establishments against 30.7 statewide, and 74 of the state's 3,775 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