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County3rd of 89 in Tennessee by approvalsFIPS 47093
SBA loans in Knox 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 Knox County, Tennessee, received 360 SBA loan approvals worth $218M in FY2021 to FY2025 (345 7(a), 15 504).
That is 28.8 approvals per 1,000 business establishments (12,519 establishments in 2023), close to the Tennessee figure of 25.1 and below the national 41.0.
It ranks 3rd of 89 Tennessee counties with approvals. In FY2025 there were 111, up 61% on FY2024.
73 lenders had approvals here; the most active were The Huntington National Bank (38), U.S. Bank, National Association (34) and Newtek Bank, National Association (21). 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 Knox County
By number of approvals to businesses in the county, FY2021–FY2025; 73 lenders had at least one.
| # | Lender | Approvals | Dollars | Share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Huntington National BankColumbus, OH | 38 | $10.4M | 10.6% | |
| 2 | U.S. Bank, National AssociationCincinnati, OH | 34 | $3.8M | 9.4% | |
| 3 | Newtek Bank, National AssociationMiami, FL | 21 | $6.6M | 5.8% | |
| 4 | Pinnacle BankNashville, TN | 20 | $20.8M | 5.6% | |
| 5 | First Horizon BankMemphis, TN | 17 | $12.6M | 4.7% | |
| 6 | Regions BankBirmingham, AL | 16 | $14.8M | 4.4% | |
| 7 | Northeast BankLewiston, ME | 16 | $2.9M | 4.4% | |
| 8 | BayFirst National BankSaint Petersburg, FL | 14 | $2.0M | 3.9% | |
| 9 | Brightbridge, Inc.Chattanooga, TN · CDC | 13 | $16.9M | 3.6% | |
| 10 | United Midwest Savings Bank National AssociationDe Graff, OH | 12 | $2.1M | 3.3% | |
| 11 | Readycap Lending, LLCBerkeley Heights, NJ | 11 | $1.2M | 3.1% | |
| 12 | Live Oak Banking CompanyWilmington, NC | 10 | $9.8M | 2.8% | |
| 13 | Citizens BankElizabethton, TN | 8 | $7.6M | 2.2% | |
| 14 | Bank of America, National AssociationCharlotte, NC | 7 | $5.4M | 1.9% | |
| 15 | TowneBankPortsmouth, VA | 6 | $7.8M | 1.7% |
Industries
| # | Industry group (NAICS 4-digit) | Approvals | Share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Restaurants and Other Eating PlacesNAICS 7225 | 53 | 14.7% | |
| 2 | Personal Care ServicesNAICS 8121 | 20 | 5.6% | |
| 3 | Automotive Repair and MaintenanceNAICS 8111 | 14 | 3.9% | |
| 4 | Building Finishing ContractorsNAICS 2383 | 11 | 3.1% | |
| 5 | Other Amusement and Recreation IndustriesNAICS 7139 | 10 | 2.8% | |
| 6 | Offices of Other Health PractitionersNAICS 6213 | 10 | 2.8% | |
| 7 | Other Personal ServicesNAICS 8129 | 10 | 2.8% | |
| 8 | Services to Buildings and DwellingsNAICS 5617 | 10 | 2.8% | |
| 9 | Traveler AccommodationNAICS 7211 | 9 | 2.5% | |
| 10 | Residential Building ConstructionNAICS 2361 | 9 | 2.5% |
Sectors
| # | NAICS sector | Approvals | Share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Accommodation and Food Services | 68 | 18.9% | |
| 2 | Retail Trade | 46 | 12.8% | |
| 3 | Other Services (except Public Administration) | 46 | 12.8% | |
| 4 | Construction | 40 | 11.1% | |
| 5 | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 32 | 8.9% | |
| 6 | Health Care and Social Assistance | 30 | 8.3% | |
| 7 | Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 21 | 5.8% | |
| 8 | Manufacturing | 15 | 4.2% |
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* | 52 | $38.6M | $464K | 1 | — | 53 | 905 |
| FY2025 | 108 | $37.4M | $150K | 3 | $5.9M | 111 | 1,117 |
| FY2024 | 65 | $30.8M | $216K | 4 | $5.2M | 69 | 676 |
| FY2023 | 50 | $30.8M | $370K | 2 | — | 52 | 448 |
| FY2022 | 58 | $31.4M | $320K | 2 | — | 60 | 983 |
| FY2021 | 64 | $67.9M | $595K | 4 | $1.8M | 68 | 1,323 |
| FY2020 | 41 | $18.8M | $263K | 0 | — | 41 | 717 |
| FY2019 | 49 | $29.5M | $350K | 1 | — | 50 | 871 |
| FY2018 | 52 | $23.3M | $145K | 4 | $5.3M | 56 | 679 |
| FY2017 | 51 | $22.5M | $150K | 3 | $1.7M | 54 | 575 |
| FY2016 | 61 | $23.3M | $216K | 3 | $6.9M | 64 | 1,066 |
In FY2016–FY2020, the five fiscal years before the current window, the county had 265 approvals.
Against Tennessee and the country
| FY2021–FY2025 | Knox County | Tennessee | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Approvals | 360 | 3,767 | 342,825 |
| Approvals per 1,000 establishments | 28.8 | 25.1 | 41.0 |
| Median 7(a) approval | $300K | $250K | $190K |
| Median 504 approval | $1.1M | $1.1M | $657K |
| Average approval | $605K | $640K | $573K |
| 504 share of approvals | 4.2% | 3.5% | 11.0% |
| Jobs supported per approval, as reported | 12.6 | 11.5 | 10.5 |
| Share of state approvals | 9.6% | 100.0% | — |
Approval sizes
- $50,000 or less18.1%65
- $50,001 to $150,00020.3%73
- $150,001 to $350,00018.3%66
- $350,001 to $1 million26.1%94
- $1 million to $2 million10.3%37
- Over $2 million6.9%25
Age of the businesses
- Existing, more than 2 years old48.9%176
- New business, 2 years or less13.9%50
- Startup, loan funds will open the business26.1%94
- Change of ownership11.1%40
Questions and answers
Which lenders make the most SBA loans in Knox County?
By approvals in FY2021 to FY2025: The Huntington National Bank (38), U.S. Bank, National Association (34), Newtek Bank, National Association (21), Pinnacle Bank (20), First Horizon Bank (17). Volume says how active a lender is, nothing about terms or service.
How large are typical SBA loans in Knox County?
The median 7(a) approval was $300K and the median 504 approval $1.1M; the Tennessee 7(a) median was $250K.
Which industries get the most SBA loans in Knox County?
Restaurants and Other Eating Places (53); Personal Care Services (20); Automotive Repair and Maintenance (14); Building Finishing Contractors (11); Other Amusement and Recreation Industries (10).
Is SBA lending in Knox County rising?
Approvals in the three latest complete fiscal years total 232, against 169 in the three before: rising (+37%).
How does Knox County compare with the rest of Tennessee?
28.8 approvals per 1,000 establishments against 25.1 statewide, and 360 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