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County26th of 227 in Texas by approvalsFIPS 48061
SBA loans in Cameron 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 138 loans to businesses in Cameron County, Texas, in FY2021 to FY2025, worth $63.4M: 132 under 7(a) and 6 under 504.
That is 20.5 approvals per 1,000 business establishments (6,732 establishments in 2023), below the Texas figure of 37.2 and below the national 41.0.
It ranks 26th of 227 Texas counties with approvals. In FY2025 there were 34, down 8% on FY2024.
42 lenders had approvals here; the most active were Wells Fargo Bank National Association (29), PlainsCapital Bank (14) and Newtek Bank, National Association (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 Cameron County
By number of approvals to businesses in the county, FY2021–FY2025; 42 lenders had at least one.
| # | Lender | Approvals | Dollars | Share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wells Fargo Bank National AssociationSioux Falls, SD | 29 | $2.0M | 21.0% | |
| 2 | PlainsCapital BankDallas, TX | 14 | $11.0M | 10.1% | |
| 3 | Newtek Bank, National AssociationMiami, FL | 13 | $3.6M | 9.4% | |
| 4 | PNC Bank, National AssociationWilmington, DE | 7 | $1.7M | 5.1% | |
| 5 | BayFirst National BankSaint Petersburg, FL | 7 | $1.1M | 5.1% | |
| 6 | Brownsville Local Development Company, Inc.Brownsville, TX · CDC | 5 | $4.7M | 3.6% | |
| 7 | Lone Star National BankPharr, TX | 5 | $1.2M | 3.6% | |
| 8 | The Huntington National BankColumbus, OH | 5 | $651K | 3.6% | |
| 9 | PeopleFundAustin, TX | 5 | $478K | 3.6% | |
| 10 | Celtic Bank CorporationSalt Lake City, UT | 4 | $3.8M | 2.9% | |
| 11 | Frost BankSan Antonio, TX | 4 | $818K | 2.9% | |
| 12 | Bank of America, National AssociationCharlotte, NC | 3 | $2.8M | 2.2% | |
| 13 | JPMorgan Chase Bank, National AssociationColumbus, OH | 3 | $677K | 2.2% | |
| 14 | Bank of the OrientSan Francisco, CA | 2 | — | 1.4% | |
| 15 | Lendistry SBLC, LLCLos Angeles, CA | 2 | — | 1.4% |
Industries
| # | Industry group (NAICS 4-digit) | Approvals | Share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Restaurants and Other Eating PlacesNAICS 7225 | 12 | 8.7% | |
| 2 | General Freight TruckingNAICS 4841 | 11 | 8.0% | |
| 3 | Home Health Care ServicesNAICS 6216 | 8 | 5.8% | |
| 4 | Personal Care ServicesNAICS 8121 | 7 | 5.1% | |
| 5 | Greenhouse, Nursery, and Floriculture ProductionNAICS 1114 | 6 | 4.3% | |
| 6 | Building Equipment ContractorsNAICS 2382 | 6 | 4.3% | |
| 7 | Automotive Repair and MaintenanceNAICS 8111 | 5 | 3.6% | |
| 8 | Residential Building ConstructionNAICS 2361 | 5 | 3.6% | |
| 9 | Services to Buildings and DwellingsNAICS 5617 | 4 | 2.9% | |
| 10 | Offices of PhysiciansNAICS 6211 | 4 | 2.9% |
Sectors
| # | NAICS sector | Approvals | Share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Retail Trade | 19 | 13.8% | |
| 2 | Construction | 19 | 13.8% | |
| 3 | Accommodation and Food Services | 18 | 13.0% | |
| 4 | Health Care and Social Assistance | 17 | 12.3% | |
| 5 | Transportation and Warehousing | 14 | 10.1% | |
| 6 | Other Services (except Public Administration) | 12 | 8.7% | |
| 7 | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 8 | 5.8% | |
| 8 | Manufacturing | 7 | 5.1% |
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* | 23 | $10.5M | $225K | 0 | — | 23 | 350 |
| FY2025 | 31 | $18.0M | $159K | 3 | $1.6M | 34 | 638 |
| FY2024 | 35 | $13.4M | $150K | 2 | — | 37 | 522 |
| FY2023 | 33 | $14.7M | $100K | 1 | — | 34 | 645 |
| FY2022 | 18 | $3.0M | $31K | 0 | — | 18 | 100 |
| FY2021 | 15 | $8.9M | $250K | 0 | — | 15 | 145 |
| FY2020 | 8 | $510K | $41K | 1 | — | 9 | 46 |
| FY2019 | 30 | $5.9M | $90K | 3 | $928K | 33 | 195 |
| FY2018 | 37 | $8.3M | $97K | 1 | — | 38 | 436 |
| FY2017 | 33 | $10.2M | $25K | 0 | — | 33 | 235 |
| FY2016 | 41 | $6.8M | $25K | 0 | — | 41 | 399 |
In FY2016–FY2020, the five fiscal years before the current window, the county had 154 approvals.
Against Texas and the country
| FY2021–FY2025 | Cameron County | Texas | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Approvals | 138 | 24,935 | 342,825 |
| Approvals per 1,000 establishments | 20.5 | 37.2 | 41.0 |
| Median 7(a) approval | $150K | $320K | $190K |
| Median 504 approval | $469K | $974K | $657K |
| Average approval | $459K | $770K | $573K |
| 504 share of approvals | 4.3% | 6.8% | 11.0% |
| Jobs supported per approval, as reported | 14.9 | 12.6 | 10.5 |
| Share of state approvals | 0.6% | 100.0% | — |
Approval sizes
- $50,000 or less30.4%42
- $50,001 to $150,00024.6%34
- $150,001 to $350,00018.8%26
- $350,001 to $1 million14.5%20
- $1 million to $2 million5.1%7
- Over $2 million6.5%9
Age of the businesses
- Existing, more than 2 years old44.2%61
- New business, 2 years or less33.3%46
- Startup, loan funds will open the business20.3%28
- Change of ownership2.2%3
Questions and answers
Which lenders make the most SBA loans in Cameron County?
By approvals in FY2021 to FY2025: Wells Fargo Bank National Association (29), PlainsCapital Bank (14), Newtek Bank, National Association (13), PNC Bank, National Association (7), BayFirst National Bank (7). Volume says how active a lender is, nothing about terms or service.
How large are typical SBA loans in Cameron County?
The median 7(a) approval was $150K and the median 504 approval $469K; the Texas 7(a) median was $320K.
Which industries get the most SBA loans in Cameron County?
Restaurants and Other Eating Places (12); General Freight Trucking (11); Home Health Care Services (8); Personal Care Services (7); Greenhouse, Nursery, and Floriculture Production (6).
Is SBA lending in Cameron County rising?
Approvals in the three latest complete fiscal years total 105, against 42 in the three before: rising (+150%).
How does Cameron County compare with the rest of Texas?
20.5 approvals per 1,000 establishments against 37.2 statewide, and 138 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