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County9th of 46 in South Carolina by approvalsFIPS 45015
SBA loans in Berkeley 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.
SBA approved 172 loans to businesses in Berkeley County, South Carolina, in FY2021 to FY2025, worth $127M: 159 under 7(a) and 13 under 504.
That is 40.7 approvals per 1,000 business establishments (4,230 establishments in 2023), above the South Carolina figure of 30.7 and close to the national 41.0.
It ranks 9th of 46 South Carolina counties with approvals. In FY2025 there were 60, up 100% on FY2024.
52 lenders had approvals here; the most active were The Huntington National Bank (15), Newtek Bank, National Association (14) and TD Bank, National Association (13). 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 Berkeley County
By number of approvals to businesses in the county, FY2021–FY2025; 52 lenders had at least one.
| # | Lender | Approvals | Dollars | Share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Huntington National BankColumbus, OH | 15 | $7.7M | 8.7% | |
| 2 | Newtek Bank, National AssociationMiami, FL | 14 | $7.0M | 8.1% | |
| 3 | TD Bank, National AssociationWilmington, DE | 13 | $3.9M | 7.6% | |
| 4 | Northeast BankLewiston, ME | 11 | $1.0M | 6.4% | |
| 5 | Live Oak Banking CompanyWilmington, NC | 10 | $6.2M | 5.8% | |
| 6 | Wells Fargo Bank National AssociationSioux Falls, SD | 10 | $1.5M | 5.8% | |
| 7 | Pinnacle BankNashville, TN | 9 | $13.5M | 5.2% | |
| 8 | Provident Business Financial Services, Inc.West Columbia, SC · CDC | 8 | $15.9M | 4.7% | |
| 9 | SouthState Bank, National AssociationWinter Haven, FL | 6 | $6.3M | 3.5% | |
| 10 | Readycap Lending, LLCBerkeley Heights, NJ | 6 | $1.8M | 3.5% | |
| 11 | United Midwest Savings Bank National AssociationDe Graff, OH | 6 | $1.5M | 3.5% | |
| 12 | BayFirst National BankSaint Petersburg, FL | 6 | $1.2M | 3.5% | |
| 13 | Celtic Bank CorporationSalt Lake City, UT | 4 | $2.2M | 2.3% | |
| 14 | Newtek Small Business Finance, Inc.Lake Success, NY | 3 | $344K | 1.7% | |
| 15 | Certified Development Corporation of South CarolinaColumbia, SC · CDC | 2 | — | 1.2% |
Industries
| # | Industry group (NAICS 4-digit) | Approvals | Share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Restaurants and Other Eating PlacesNAICS 7225 | 15 | 8.7% | |
| 2 | Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting ServicesNAICS 5416 | 10 | 5.8% | |
| 3 | Building Equipment ContractorsNAICS 2382 | 10 | 5.8% | |
| 4 | General Freight TruckingNAICS 4841 | 9 | 5.2% | |
| 5 | Automotive Repair and MaintenanceNAICS 8111 | 8 | 4.7% | |
| 6 | Services to Buildings and DwellingsNAICS 5617 | 8 | 4.7% | |
| 7 | Personal Care ServicesNAICS 8121 | 6 | 3.5% | |
| 8 | Offices of Other Health PractitionersNAICS 6213 | 6 | 3.5% | |
| 9 | Child Day Care ServicesNAICS 6244 | 5 | 2.9% | |
| 10 | Building Finishing ContractorsNAICS 2383 | 5 | 2.9% |
Sectors
| # | NAICS sector | Approvals | Share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Accommodation and Food Services | 23 | 13.4% | |
| 2 | Construction | 21 | 12.2% | |
| 3 | Retail Trade | 20 | 11.6% | |
| 4 | Other Services (except Public Administration) | 20 | 11.6% | |
| 5 | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 14 | 8.1% | |
| 6 | Health Care and Social Assistance | 13 | 7.6% | |
| 7 | Transportation and Warehousing | 12 | 7.0% | |
| 8 | Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 12 | 7.0% |
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* | 24 | $12.3M | $317K | 2 | — | 26 | 336 |
| FY2025 | 56 | $31.7M | $298K | 4 | $10.6M | 60 | 715 |
| FY2024 | 29 | $13.7M | $100K | 1 | — | 30 | 338 |
| FY2023 | 28 | $14.6M | $207K | 2 | — | 30 | 302 |
| FY2022 | 22 | $17.8M | $375K | 3 | $3.8M | 25 | 306 |
| FY2021 | 24 | $26.0M | $473K | 3 | $3.2M | 27 | 401 |
| FY2020 | 8 | $3.8M | $293K | 2 | — | 10 | 46 |
| FY2019 | 20 | $11.0M | $178K | 5 | $3.2M | 25 | 205 |
| FY2018 | 21 | $7.4M | $162K | 1 | — | 22 | 148 |
| FY2017 | 26 | $21.1M | $360K | 2 | — | 28 | 229 |
| FY2016 | 9 | $1.9M | $35K | 2 | — | 11 | 88 |
In FY2016–FY2020, the five fiscal years before the current window, the county had 96 approvals.
Against South Carolina and the country
| FY2021–FY2025 | Berkeley County | South Carolina | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Approvals | 172 | 3,775 | 342,825 |
| Approvals per 1,000 establishments | 40.7 | 30.7 | 41.0 |
| Median 7(a) approval | $275K | $260K | $190K |
| Median 504 approval | $1.8M | $892K | $657K |
| Average approval | $740K | $666K | $573K |
| 504 share of approvals | 7.6% | 6.5% | 11.0% |
| Jobs supported per approval, as reported | 12.0 | 11.3 | 10.5 |
| Share of state approvals | 4.6% | 100.0% | — |
Approval sizes
- $50,000 or less18.0%31
- $50,001 to $150,00019.8%34
- $150,001 to $350,00017.4%30
- $350,001 to $1 million27.3%47
- $1 million to $2 million4.1%7
- Over $2 million13.4%23
Age of the businesses
- Existing, more than 2 years old49.4%85
- New business, 2 years or less20.3%35
- Startup, loan funds will open the business18.6%32
- Change of ownership11.6%20
Questions and answers
Which lenders make the most SBA loans in Berkeley County?
By approvals in FY2021 to FY2025: The Huntington National Bank (15), Newtek Bank, National Association (14), TD Bank, National Association (13), Northeast Bank (11), Live Oak Banking Company (10). Volume says how active a lender is, nothing about terms or service.
How large are typical SBA loans in Berkeley County?
The median 7(a) approval was $275K and the median 504 approval $1.8M; the South Carolina 7(a) median was $260K.
Which industries get the most SBA loans in Berkeley County?
Restaurants and Other Eating Places (15); Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services (10); Building Equipment Contractors (10); General Freight Trucking (9); Automotive Repair and Maintenance (8).
Is SBA lending in Berkeley County rising?
Approvals in the three latest complete fiscal years total 120, against 62 in the three before: rising (+94%).
How does Berkeley County compare with the rest of South Carolina?
40.7 approvals per 1,000 establishments against 30.7 statewide, and 172 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