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County6th of 89 in Tennessee by approvalsFIPS 47149
SBA loans in Rutherford 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.
SBA approved 215 loans to businesses in Rutherford County, Tennessee, in FY2021 to FY2025, worth $123M: 207 under 7(a) and 8 under 504.
That is 34.2 approvals per 1,000 business establishments (6,285 establishments in 2023), above the Tennessee figure of 25.1 and below the national 41.0.
It ranks 6th of 89 Tennessee counties with approvals. In FY2025 there were 58, up 29% on FY2024.
52 lenders had approvals here; the most active were U.S. Bank, National Association (30), The Huntington National Bank (20) and Newtek Bank, National Association (14). 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 Rutherford County
By number of approvals to businesses in the county, FY2021–FY2025; 52 lenders had at least one.
| # | Lender | Approvals | Dollars | Share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | U.S. Bank, National AssociationCincinnati, OH | 30 | $8.2M | 14.0% | |
| 2 | The Huntington National BankColumbus, OH | 20 | $6.0M | 9.3% | |
| 3 | Newtek Bank, National AssociationMiami, FL | 14 | $3.8M | 6.5% | |
| 4 | Pinnacle BankNashville, TN | 10 | $11.4M | 4.7% | |
| 5 | United Midwest Savings Bank National AssociationDe Graff, OH | 9 | $1.4M | 4.2% | |
| 6 | Live Oak Banking CompanyWilmington, NC | 8 | $11.4M | 3.7% | |
| 7 | Bank of America, National AssociationCharlotte, NC | 8 | $2.9M | 3.7% | |
| 8 | Readycap Lending, LLCBerkeley Heights, NJ | 8 | $2.6M | 3.7% | |
| 9 | Newtek Small Business Finance, Inc.Lake Success, NY | 7 | $2.8M | 3.3% | |
| 10 | Regions BankBirmingham, AL | 7 | $2.8M | 3.3% | |
| 11 | Wells Fargo Bank National AssociationSioux Falls, SD | 7 | $1.1M | 3.3% | |
| 12 | Northeast BankLewiston, ME | 7 | $406K | 3.3% | |
| 13 | Republic Bank & Trust CompanyLouisville, KY | 5 | $1.5M | 2.3% | |
| 14 | BayFirst National BankSaint Petersburg, FL | 5 | $944K | 2.3% | |
| 15 | Brightbridge, Inc.Chattanooga, TN · CDC | 4 | $4.8M | 1.9% |
Industries
| # | Industry group (NAICS 4-digit) | Approvals | Share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Restaurants and Other Eating PlacesNAICS 7225 | 19 | 8.8% | |
| 2 | Services to Buildings and DwellingsNAICS 5617 | 15 | 7.0% | |
| 3 | Automotive Repair and MaintenanceNAICS 8111 | 11 | 5.1% | |
| 4 | Offices of Other Health PractitionersNAICS 6213 | 8 | 3.7% | |
| 5 | Personal Care ServicesNAICS 8121 | 8 | 3.7% | |
| 6 | Other Amusement and Recreation IndustriesNAICS 7139 | 7 | 3.3% | |
| 7 | Agencies, Brokerages, and Other Insurance Related ActivitiesNAICS 5242 | 7 | 3.3% | |
| 8 | Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical ServicesNAICS 5419 | 6 | 2.8% | |
| 9 | Building Equipment ContractorsNAICS 2382 | 5 | 2.3% | |
| 10 | Business Support ServicesNAICS 5614 | 5 | 2.3% |
Sectors
| # | NAICS sector | Approvals | Share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Retail Trade | 28 | 13.0% | |
| 2 | Other Services (except Public Administration) | 26 | 12.1% | |
| 3 | Accommodation and Food Services | 24 | 11.2% | |
| 4 | Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 22 | 10.2% | |
| 5 | Construction | 20 | 9.3% | |
| 6 | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 18 | 8.4% | |
| 7 | Transportation and Warehousing | 15 | 7.0% | |
| 8 | Health Care and Social Assistance | 13 | 6.0% |
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* | 36 | $19.8M | $150K | 1 | — | 37 | 414 |
| FY2025 | 54 | $23.5M | $207K | 4 | $6.4M | 58 | 467 |
| FY2024 | 41 | $17.4M | $140K | 4 | $6.3M | 45 | 397 |
| FY2023 | 38 | $21.2M | $173K | 0 | — | 38 | 320 |
| FY2022 | 45 | $26.7M | $168K | 0 | — | 45 | 443 |
| FY2021 | 29 | $21.2M | $360K | 0 | — | 29 | 251 |
| FY2020 | 17 | $12.2M | $292K | 0 | — | 17 | 192 |
| FY2019 | 24 | $20.8M | $323K | 0 | — | 24 | 367 |
| FY2018 | 29 | $14.5M | $320K | 3 | $5.8M | 32 | 499 |
| FY2017 | 20 | $12.3M | $238K | 0 | — | 20 | 293 |
| FY2016 | 22 | $10.0M | $258K | 0 | — | 22 | 329 |
In FY2016–FY2020, the five fiscal years before the current window, the county had 115 approvals.
Against Tennessee and the country
| FY2021–FY2025 | Rutherford County | Tennessee | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Approvals | 215 | 3,767 | 342,825 |
| Approvals per 1,000 establishments | 34.2 | 25.1 | 41.0 |
| Median 7(a) approval | $176K | $250K | $190K |
| Median 504 approval | $1.5M | $1.1M | $657K |
| Average approval | $571K | $640K | $573K |
| 504 share of approvals | 3.7% | 3.5% | 11.0% |
| Jobs supported per approval, as reported | 8.7 | 11.5 | 10.5 |
| Share of state approvals | 5.7% | 100.0% | — |
Approval sizes
- $50,000 or less25.1%54
- $50,001 to $150,00019.1%41
- $150,001 to $350,00021.9%47
- $350,001 to $1 million18.6%40
- $1 million to $2 million7.4%16
- Over $2 million7.9%17
Age of the businesses
- Existing, more than 2 years old42.8%92
- New business, 2 years or less18.6%40
- Startup, loan funds will open the business27.4%59
- Change of ownership11.2%24
Questions and answers
Which lenders make the most SBA loans in Rutherford County?
By approvals in FY2021 to FY2025: U.S. Bank, National Association (30), The Huntington National Bank (20), Newtek Bank, National Association (14), Pinnacle Bank (10), United Midwest Savings Bank National Association (9). Volume says how active a lender is, nothing about terms or service.
How large are typical SBA loans in Rutherford County?
The median 7(a) approval was $176K and the median 504 approval $1.5M; the Tennessee 7(a) median was $250K.
Which industries get the most SBA loans in Rutherford County?
Restaurants and Other Eating Places (19); Services to Buildings and Dwellings (15); Automotive Repair and Maintenance (11); Offices of Other Health Practitioners (8); Personal Care Services (8).
Is SBA lending in Rutherford County rising?
Approvals in the three latest complete fiscal years total 141, against 91 in the three before: rising (+55%).
How does Rutherford County compare with the rest of Tennessee?
34.2 approvals per 1,000 establishments against 25.1 statewide, and 215 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