County15th of 227 in Texas by approvalsFIPS 48027
SBA loans in Bell County, Texas
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 245 loans to businesses in Bell County, Texas, in FY2021 to FY2025, worth $141M: 230 under 7(a) and 15 under 504.
That is 41.4 approvals per 1,000 business establishments (5,923 establishments in 2023), close to the Texas figure of 37.2 and close to the national 41.0.
It ranks 15th of 227 Texas counties with approvals. In FY2025 there were 57, up 33% on FY2024.
74 lenders had approvals here; the most active were First National Bank Texas (37), The Huntington National Bank (16) and Texell CU (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 Bell County
By number of approvals to businesses in the county, FY2021–FY2025; 74 lenders had at least one.
| # | Lender | Approvals | Dollars | Share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | First National Bank TexasKilleen, TX | 37 | $8.2M | 15.1% | |
| 2 | The Huntington National BankColumbus, OH | 16 | $4.4M | 6.5% | |
| 3 | Texell CUTemple, TX | 13 | $3.3M | 5.3% | |
| 4 | Wells Fargo Bank National AssociationSioux Falls, SD | 11 | $2.6M | 4.5% | |
| 5 | Northeast BankLewiston, ME | 11 | $1.8M | 4.5% | |
| 6 | Readycap Lending, LLCBerkeley Heights, NJ | 10 | $6.1M | 4.1% | |
| 7 | Newtek Bank, National AssociationMiami, FL | 10 | $1.6M | 4.1% | |
| 8 | Live Oak Banking CompanyWilmington, NC | 6 | $8.2M | 2.4% | |
| 9 | The First National Bank of McGregor d/b/a TFNB Your Bank for LifeMcGregor, TX | 6 | $2.1M | 2.4% | |
| 10 | PNC Bank, National AssociationWilmington, DE | 6 | $1.9M | 2.4% | |
| 11 | United Midwest Savings Bank National AssociationDe Graff, OH | 6 | $950K | 2.4% | |
| 12 | Capital Certified Development CorporationAustin, TX · CDC | 5 | $9.4M | 2.0% | |
| 13 | BayFirst National BankSaint Petersburg, FL | 5 | $1.1M | 2.0% | |
| 14 | SouthState Bank, National AssociationWinter Haven, FL | 4 | $6.7M | 1.6% | |
| 15 | American Momentum BankCollege Station, TX | 4 | $5.3M | 1.6% |
Industries
| # | Industry group (NAICS 4-digit) | Approvals | Share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Restaurants and Other Eating PlacesNAICS 7225 | 25 | 10.2% | |
| 2 | Automotive Repair and MaintenanceNAICS 8111 | 14 | 5.7% | |
| 3 | Personal Care ServicesNAICS 8121 | 14 | 5.7% | |
| 4 | Other Amusement and Recreation IndustriesNAICS 7139 | 13 | 5.3% | |
| 5 | Offices of Other Health PractitionersNAICS 6213 | 12 | 4.9% | |
| 6 | Traveler AccommodationNAICS 7211 | 9 | 3.7% | |
| 7 | Services to Buildings and DwellingsNAICS 5617 | 9 | 3.7% | |
| 8 | Residential Building ConstructionNAICS 2361 | 8 | 3.3% | |
| 9 | General Freight TruckingNAICS 4841 | 7 | 2.9% | |
| 10 | Lessors of Real EstateNAICS 5311 | 6 | 2.4% |
Sectors
| # | NAICS sector | Approvals | Share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Other Services (except Public Administration) | 38 | 15.5% | |
| 2 | Accommodation and Food Services | 35 | 14.3% | |
| 3 | Retail Trade | 31 | 12.7% | |
| 4 | Health Care and Social Assistance | 28 | 11.4% | |
| 5 | Construction | 23 | 9.4% | |
| 6 | Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 20 | 8.2% | |
| 7 | Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation | 14 | 5.7% | |
| 8 | Transportation and Warehousing | 14 | 5.7% |
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* | 28 | $20.4M | $275K | 3 | $5.9M | 31 | 200 |
| FY2025 | 55 | $38.0M | $300K | 2 | — | 57 | 683 |
| FY2024 | 39 | $15.6M | $145K | 4 | $5.4M | 43 | 324 |
| FY2023 | 38 | $18.6M | $168K | 6 | $9.2M | 44 | 595 |
| FY2022 | 41 | $15.3M | $158K | 1 | — | 42 | 311 |
| FY2021 | 57 | $32.4M | $300K | 2 | — | 59 | 396 |
| FY2020 | 38 | $20.8M | $248K | 2 | — | 40 | 586 |
| FY2019 | 33 | $20.4M | $250K | 1 | — | 34 | 334 |
| FY2018 | 41 | $15.5M | $178K | 0 | — | 41 | 377 |
| FY2017 | 38 | $15.6M | $135K | 0 | — | 38 | 417 |
| FY2016 | 37 | $13.9M | $150K | 4 | $3.8M | 41 | 344 |
In FY2016–FY2020, the five fiscal years before the current window, the county had 194 approvals.
Against Texas and the country
| FY2021–FY2025 | Bell County | Texas | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Approvals | 245 | 24,935 | 342,825 |
| Approvals per 1,000 establishments | 41.4 | 37.2 | 41.0 |
| Median 7(a) approval | $237K | $320K | $190K |
| Median 504 approval | $1.3M | $974K | $657K |
| Average approval | $574K | $770K | $573K |
| 504 share of approvals | 6.1% | 6.8% | 11.0% |
| Jobs supported per approval, as reported | 9.4 | 12.6 | 10.5 |
| Share of state approvals | 1.0% | 100.0% | — |
Approval sizes
- $50,000 or less18.0%44
- $50,001 to $150,00023.7%58
- $150,001 to $350,00020.0%49
- $350,001 to $1 million24.1%59
- $1 million to $2 million7.3%18
- Over $2 million6.9%17
Age of the businesses
- Existing, more than 2 years old45.3%111
- New business, 2 years or less22.9%56
- Startup, loan funds will open the business26.5%65
- Change of ownership5.3%13
Questions and answers
Which lenders make the most SBA loans in Bell County?
By approvals in FY2021 to FY2025: First National Bank Texas (37), The Huntington National Bank (16), Texell CU (13), Wells Fargo Bank National Association (11), Northeast Bank (11). Volume says how active a lender is, nothing about terms or service.
How large are typical SBA loans in Bell County?
The median 7(a) approval was $237K and the median 504 approval $1.3M; the Texas 7(a) median was $320K.
Which industries get the most SBA loans in Bell County?
Restaurants and Other Eating Places (25); Automotive Repair and Maintenance (14); Personal Care Services (14); Other Amusement and Recreation Industries (13); Offices of Other Health Practitioners (12).
Is SBA lending in Bell County rising?
Approvals in the three latest complete fiscal years total 144, against 141 in the three before: broadly level (+2%).
How does Bell County compare with the rest of Texas?
41.4 approvals per 1,000 establishments against 37.2 statewide, and 245 of the state's 24,935 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