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County12th of 89 in Tennessee by approvalsFIPS 47009
SBA loans in Blount County, Tennessee
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 Blount County, Tennessee, received 64 SBA loan approvals worth $40.5M in FY2021 to FY2025 (57 7(a), 7 504).
That is 25.5 approvals per 1,000 business establishments (2,510 establishments in 2023), close to the Tennessee figure of 25.1 and below the national 41.0.
It ranks 12th of 89 Tennessee counties with approvals. In FY2025 there were 21.
28 lenders had approvals here; the most active were Pinnacle Bank (6), Brightbridge, Inc. (6) and U.S. Bank, National Association (4). 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 Blount County
By number of approvals to businesses in the county, FY2021–FY2025; 28 lenders had at least one.
| # | Lender | Approvals | Dollars | Share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pinnacle BankNashville, TN | 6 | $8.8M | 9.4% | |
| 2 | Brightbridge, Inc.Chattanooga, TN · CDC | 6 | $7.0M | 9.4% | |
| 3 | U.S. Bank, National AssociationCincinnati, OH | 4 | $2.0M | 6.3% | |
| 4 | Wells Fargo Bank National AssociationSioux Falls, SD | 4 | $452K | 6.3% | |
| 5 | The Huntington National BankColumbus, OH | 4 | $437K | 6.3% | |
| 6 | Readycap Lending, LLCBerkeley Heights, NJ | 4 | $408K | 6.3% | |
| 7 | United Community BankGreenville, SC | 3 | $3.4M | 4.7% | |
| 8 | GBC International BankLos Angeles, CA | 3 | $3.0M | 4.7% | |
| 9 | Newtek Bank, National AssociationMiami, FL | 3 | $2.9M | 4.7% | |
| 10 | Northeast BankLewiston, ME | 3 | $628K | 4.7% | |
| 11 | BayFirst National BankSaint Petersburg, FL | 3 | $450K | 4.7% | |
| 12 | Grasshopper Bank National AssociationNew York, NY | 2 | — | 3.1% | |
| 13 | Regions BankBirmingham, AL | 2 | — | 3.1% | |
| 14 | First-Citizens Bank & Trust CompanyRaleigh, NC | 2 | — | 3.1% | |
| 15 | Celtic Bank CorporationSalt Lake City, UT | 2 | — | 3.1% |
Industries
| # | Industry group (NAICS 4-digit) | Approvals | Share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Restaurants and Other Eating PlacesNAICS 7225 | 11 | 17.2% | |
| 2 | Offices of Other Health PractitionersNAICS 6213 | 5 | 7.8% | |
| 3 | Building Equipment ContractorsNAICS 2382 | 5 | 7.8% | |
| 4 | Machinery, Equipment, and Supplies Merchant WholesalersNAICS 4238 | 4 | 6.3% | |
| 5 | Automotive Repair and MaintenanceNAICS 8111 | 4 | 6.3% | |
| 6 | Furniture and Home Furnishings RetailersNAICS 4491 | 3 | 4.7% | |
| 7 | Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting ServicesNAICS 5416 | 3 | 4.7% | |
| 8 | Building Finishing ContractorsNAICS 2383 | 2 | 3.1% | |
| 9 | Residential Building ConstructionNAICS 2361 | 2 | 3.1% | |
| 10 | Foundation, Structure, and Building Exterior ContractorsNAICS 2381 | 2 | 3.1% |
Sectors
| # | NAICS sector | Approvals | Share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Accommodation and Food Services | 12 | 18.8% | |
| 2 | Construction | 12 | 18.8% | |
| 3 | Health Care and Social Assistance | 8 | 12.5% | |
| 4 | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 7 | 10.9% | |
| 5 | Other Services (except Public Administration) | 6 | 9.4% | |
| 6 | Retail Trade | 6 | 9.4% | |
| 7 | Wholesale Trade | 5 | 7.8% | |
| 8 | Manufacturing | 3 | 4.7% |
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* | 15 | $10.8M | $150K | 0 | — | 15 | 178 |
| FY2025 | 20 | $9.7M | $270K | 1 | — | 21 | 268 |
| FY2024 | 8 | $3.4M | $229K | 1 | — | 9 | 99 |
| FY2023 | 9 | $5.1M | $170K | 1 | — | 10 | 96 |
| FY2022 | 9 | $4.0M | $135K | 3 | $5.7M | 12 | 81 |
| FY2021 | 11 | $9.5M | $490K | 1 | — | 12 | 144 |
| FY2020 | 12 | $3.9M | $75K | 1 | — | 13 | 60 |
| FY2019 | 9 | $4.4M | $250K | 2 | — | 11 | 68 |
| FY2018 | 7 | $2.5M | $40K | 1 | — | 8 | 29 |
| FY2017 | 9 | $4.4M | $100K | 0 | — | 9 | 129 |
| FY2016 | 13 | $7.3M | $239K | 0 | — | 13 | 122 |
In FY2016–FY2020, the five fiscal years before the current window, the county had 54 approvals.
Against Tennessee and the country
| FY2021–FY2025 | Blount County | Tennessee | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Approvals | 64 | 3,767 | 342,825 |
| Approvals per 1,000 establishments | 25.5 | 25.1 | 41.0 |
| Median 7(a) approval | $258K | $250K | $190K |
| Median 504 approval | $910K | $1.1M | $657K |
| Average approval | $633K | $640K | $573K |
| 504 share of approvals | 10.9% | 3.5% | 11.0% |
| Jobs supported per approval, as reported | 10.8 | 11.5 | 10.5 |
| Share of state approvals | 1.7% | 100.0% | — |
Approval sizes
- $50,000 or less18.8%12
- $50,001 to $150,00015.6%10
- $150,001 to $350,00023.4%15
- $350,001 to $1 million25.0%16
- $1 million to $2 million10.9%7
- Over $2 million6.3%4
Age of the businesses
- Existing, more than 2 years old67.2%43
- New business, 2 years or less12.5%8
- Startup, loan funds will open the business10.9%7
- Change of ownership9.4%6
Questions and answers
Which lenders make the most SBA loans in Blount County?
By approvals in FY2021 to FY2025: Pinnacle Bank (6), Brightbridge, Inc. (6), U.S. Bank, National Association (4), Wells Fargo Bank National Association (4), The Huntington National Bank (4). Volume says how active a lender is, nothing about terms or service.
How large are typical SBA loans in Blount County?
The median 7(a) approval was $258K and the median 504 approval $910K; the Tennessee 7(a) median was $250K.
Which industries get the most SBA loans in Blount County?
Restaurants and Other Eating Places (11); Offices of Other Health Practitioners (5); Building Equipment Contractors (5); Machinery, Equipment, and Supplies Merchant Wholesalers (4); Automotive Repair and Maintenance (4).
Is SBA lending in Blount County rising?
Approvals in the three latest complete fiscal years total 40, against 37 in the three before: broadly level (+8%).
How does Blount County compare with the rest of Tennessee?
25.5 approvals per 1,000 establishments against 25.1 statewide, and 64 of the state's 3,767 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