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County5th of 89 in Tennessee by approvalsFIPS 47065
SBA loans in Hamilton 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 Hamilton County, Tennessee, received 247 SBA loan approvals worth $174M in FY2021 to FY2025 (230 7(a), 17 504).
That is 25.0 approvals per 1,000 business establishments (9,883 establishments in 2023), close to the Tennessee figure of 25.1 and below the national 41.0.
It ranks 5th of 89 Tennessee counties with approvals. In FY2025 there were 61, about level with FY2024.
64 lenders had approvals here; the most active were The Huntington National Bank (44), Brightbridge, Inc. (16) and Brightbridge, Inc. (15). 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 Hamilton County
By number of approvals to businesses in the county, FY2021–FY2025; 64 lenders had at least one.
| # | Lender | Approvals | Dollars | Share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Huntington National BankColumbus, OH | 44 | $21.0M | 17.8% | |
| 2 | Brightbridge, Inc.Chattanooga, TN · CDC | 16 | $17.5M | 6.5% | |
| 3 | Brightbridge, Inc.Chattanooga, TN | 15 | $3.0M | 6.1% | |
| 4 | Live Oak Banking CompanyWilmington, NC | 13 | $21.2M | 5.3% | |
| 5 | BayFirst National BankSaint Petersburg, FL | 13 | $2.3M | 5.3% | |
| 6 | Readycap Lending, LLCBerkeley Heights, NJ | 12 | $1.7M | 4.9% | |
| 7 | United Midwest Savings Bank National AssociationDe Graff, OH | 11 | $1.6M | 4.5% | |
| 8 | Pinnacle BankNashville, TN | 10 | $10.2M | 4.0% | |
| 9 | Newtek Bank, National AssociationMiami, FL | 9 | $4.5M | 3.6% | |
| 10 | Northeast BankLewiston, ME | 7 | $758K | 2.8% | |
| 11 | Regions BankBirmingham, AL | 6 | $4.3M | 2.4% | |
| 12 | U.S. Bank, National AssociationCincinnati, OH | 5 | $4.5M | 2.0% | |
| 13 | Truist BankCharlotte, NC | 5 | $3.6M | 2.0% | |
| 14 | Bank of America, National AssociationCharlotte, NC | 5 | $3.0M | 2.0% | |
| 15 | Beacon Bank and TrustBrookline, MA | 3 | $5.5M | 1.2% |
Industries
| # | Industry group (NAICS 4-digit) | Approvals | Share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Restaurants and Other Eating PlacesNAICS 7225 | 22 | 8.9% | |
| 2 | Other Amusement and Recreation IndustriesNAICS 7139 | 14 | 5.7% | |
| 3 | Traveler AccommodationNAICS 7211 | 11 | 4.5% | |
| 4 | Other Personal ServicesNAICS 8129 | 11 | 4.5% | |
| 5 | Services to Buildings and DwellingsNAICS 5617 | 11 | 4.5% | |
| 6 | Personal Care ServicesNAICS 8121 | 11 | 4.5% | |
| 7 | Offices of DentistsNAICS 6212 | 9 | 3.6% | |
| 8 | Agencies, Brokerages, and Other Insurance Related ActivitiesNAICS 5242 | 8 | 3.2% | |
| 9 | Offices of Other Health PractitionersNAICS 6213 | 8 | 3.2% | |
| 10 | Building Finishing ContractorsNAICS 2383 | 8 | 3.2% |
Sectors
| # | NAICS sector | Approvals | Share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Accommodation and Food Services | 34 | 13.8% | |
| 2 | Retail Trade | 33 | 13.4% | |
| 3 | Other Services (except Public Administration) | 29 | 11.7% | |
| 4 | Construction | 23 | 9.3% | |
| 5 | Health Care and Social Assistance | 22 | 8.9% | |
| 6 | Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 20 | 8.1% | |
| 7 | Manufacturing | 17 | 6.9% | |
| 8 | Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation | 15 | 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* | 32 | $15.8M | $314K | 1 | — | 33 | 280 |
| FY2025 | 59 | $49.2M | $260K | 2 | — | 61 | 614 |
| FY2024 | 57 | $29.7M | $157K | 2 | — | 59 | 485 |
| FY2023 | 44 | $23.7M | $250K | 2 | — | 46 | 303 |
| FY2022 | 24 | $11.2M | $255K | 4 | $4.5M | 28 | 280 |
| FY2021 | 46 | $41.1M | $450K | 7 | $3.6M | 53 | 806 |
| FY2020 | 21 | $29.8M | $350K | 5 | $6.3M | 26 | 268 |
| FY2019 | 31 | $18.9M | $250K | 1 | — | 32 | 333 |
| FY2018 | 47 | $29.9M | $200K | 1 | — | 48 | 536 |
| FY2017 | 47 | $22.7M | $150K | 3 | $1.4M | 50 | 654 |
| FY2016 | 42 | $27.4M | $300K | 2 | — | 44 | 642 |
In FY2016–FY2020, the five fiscal years before the current window, the county had 200 approvals.
Against Tennessee and the country
| FY2021–FY2025 | Hamilton County | Tennessee | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Approvals | 247 | 3,767 | 342,825 |
| Approvals per 1,000 establishments | 25.0 | 25.1 | 41.0 |
| Median 7(a) approval | $271K | $250K | $190K |
| Median 504 approval | $510K | $1.1M | $657K |
| Average approval | $704K | $640K | $573K |
| 504 share of approvals | 6.9% | 3.5% | 11.0% |
| Jobs supported per approval, as reported | 10.1 | 11.5 | 10.5 |
| Share of state approvals | 6.6% | 100.0% | — |
Approval sizes
- $50,000 or less12.6%31
- $50,001 to $150,00020.6%51
- $150,001 to $350,00025.9%64
- $350,001 to $1 million21.5%53
- $1 million to $2 million8.9%22
- Over $2 million10.5%26
Age of the businesses
- Existing, more than 2 years old46.6%115
- New business, 2 years or less10.9%27
- Startup, loan funds will open the business31.6%78
- Change of ownership10.9%27
Questions and answers
Which lenders make the most SBA loans in Hamilton County?
By approvals in FY2021 to FY2025: The Huntington National Bank (44), Brightbridge, Inc. (16), Brightbridge, Inc. (15), Live Oak Banking Company (13), BayFirst National Bank (13). Volume says how active a lender is, nothing about terms or service.
How large are typical SBA loans in Hamilton County?
The median 7(a) approval was $271K and the median 504 approval $510K; the Tennessee 7(a) median was $250K.
Which industries get the most SBA loans in Hamilton County?
Restaurants and Other Eating Places (22); Other Amusement and Recreation Industries (14); Traveler Accommodation (11); Other Personal Services (11); Services to Buildings and Dwellings (11).
Is SBA lending in Hamilton County rising?
Approvals in the three latest complete fiscal years total 166, against 107 in the three before: rising (+55%).
How does Hamilton County compare with the rest of Tennessee?
25.0 approvals per 1,000 establishments against 25.1 statewide, and 247 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