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County22nd of 71 in Wisconsin by approvalsFIPS 55021
SBA loans in Columbia County, Wisconsin
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 Columbia County, Wisconsin, received 77 SBA loan approvals worth $49.0M in FY2021 to FY2025 (58 7(a), 19 504).
That is 53.8 approvals per 1,000 business establishments (1,432 establishments in 2023), above the Wisconsin figure of 46.3 and above the national 41.0.
It ranks 22nd of 71 Wisconsin counties with approvals. In FY2025 there were 21.
28 lenders had approvals here; the most active were WBD, Inc. (19), Bank First, N.A. (11) and Enterprise Bank & Trust (3). 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 Columbia County
By number of approvals to businesses in the county, FY2021–FY2025; 28 lenders had at least one.
| # | Lender | Approvals | Dollars | Share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | WBD, Inc.Madison, WI · CDC | 19 | $15.6M | 24.7% | |
| 2 | Bank First, N.A.Manitowoc, WI | 11 | $3.8M | 14.3% | |
| 3 | Enterprise Bank & TrustClayton, MO | 3 | $4.2M | 3.9% | |
| 4 | Newtek Bank, National AssociationMiami, FL | 3 | $3.2M | 3.9% | |
| 5 | Celtic Bank CorporationSalt Lake City, UT | 3 | $869K | 3.9% | |
| 6 | U.S. Bank, National AssociationCincinnati, OH | 3 | $307K | 3.9% | |
| 7 | Summit CUCottage Grove, WI | 3 | $303K | 3.9% | |
| 8 | Shoreham BankWarwick, RI | 2 | — | 2.6% | |
| 9 | Lake Ridge BankMiddleton, WI | 2 | — | 2.6% | |
| 10 | Byline BankChicago, IL | 2 | — | 2.6% | |
| 11 | Live Oak Banking CompanyWilmington, NC | 2 | — | 2.6% | |
| 12 | Associated Bank National AssociationGreen Bay, WI | 2 | — | 2.6% | |
| 13 | Nicolet National BankGreen Bay, WI | 2 | — | 2.6% | |
| 14 | Bank of Sun PrairieSun Prairie, WI | 2 | — | 2.6% | |
| 15 | The Huntington National BankColumbus, OH | 2 | — | 2.6% |
Industries
| # | Industry group (NAICS 4-digit) | Approvals | Share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Restaurants and Other Eating PlacesNAICS 7225 | 11 | 14.3% | |
| 2 | Traveler AccommodationNAICS 7211 | 6 | 7.8% | |
| 3 | Grocery StoresNAICS 4451 | 5 | 6.5% | |
| 4 | Lessors of Real EstateNAICS 5311 | 5 | 6.5% | |
| 5 | General Freight TruckingNAICS 4841 | 4 | 5.2% | |
| 6 | Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages)NAICS 7224 | 4 | 5.2% | |
| 7 | Other Fabricated Metal Product ManufacturingNAICS 3329 | 3 | 3.9% | |
| 8 | Specialized Freight TruckingNAICS 4842 | 3 | 3.9% | |
| 9 | Industrial Machinery ManufacturingNAICS 3332 | 2 | 2.6% | |
| 10 | Gasoline StationsNAICS 4571 | 2 | 2.6% |
Sectors
| # | NAICS sector | Approvals | Share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Accommodation and Food Services | 22 | 28.6% | |
| 2 | Retail Trade | 12 | 15.6% | |
| 3 | Manufacturing | 11 | 14.3% | |
| 4 | Transportation and Warehousing | 7 | 9.1% | |
| 5 | Real Estate and Rental and Leasing | 6 | 7.8% | |
| 6 | Other Services (except Public Administration) | 5 | 6.5% | |
| 7 | Health Care and Social Assistance | 3 | 3.9% | |
| 8 | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 3 | 3.9% |
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* | 5 | $5.0M | $150K | 4 | $2.7M | 9 | 129 |
| FY2025 | 19 | $13.0M | $300K | 2 | — | 21 | 431 |
| FY2024 | 7 | $3.6M | $140K | 0 | — | 7 | 36 |
| FY2023 | 6 | $5.0M | $375K | 1 | — | 7 | 142 |
| FY2022 | 9 | $4.2M | $140K | 9 | $6.6M | 18 | 99 |
| FY2021 | 17 | $7.5M | $250K | 7 | $7.0M | 24 | 214 |
| FY2020 | 10 | $7.6M | $345K | 2 | — | 12 | 207 |
| FY2019 | 6 | $586K | $51K | 1 | — | 7 | 41 |
| FY2018 | 20 | $9.7M | $81K | 1 | — | 21 | 310 |
| FY2017 | 23 | $7.6M | $150K | 8 | $11.2M | 31 | 372 |
| FY2016 | 20 | $5.6M | $105K | 4 | $1.6M | 24 | 106 |
In FY2016–FY2020, the five fiscal years before the current window, the county had 95 approvals.
Against Wisconsin and the country
| FY2021–FY2025 | Columbia County | Wisconsin | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Approvals | 77 | 6,706 | 342,825 |
| Approvals per 1,000 establishments | 53.8 | 46.3 | 41.0 |
| Median 7(a) approval | $246K | $225K | $190K |
| Median 504 approval | $635K | $616K | $657K |
| Average approval | $637K | $594K | $573K |
| 504 share of approvals | 24.7% | 18.4% | 11.0% |
| Jobs supported per approval, as reported | 12.0 | 11.0 | 10.5 |
| Share of state approvals | 1.1% | 100.0% | — |
Approval sizes
- $50,000 or less9.1%7
- $50,001 to $150,00019.5%15
- $150,001 to $350,00023.4%18
- $350,001 to $1 million29.9%23
- $1 million to $2 million9.1%7
- Over $2 million9.1%7
Age of the businesses
- Existing, more than 2 years old55.8%43
- New business, 2 years or less19.5%15
- Startup, loan funds will open the business11.7%9
- Change of ownership13.0%10
Questions and answers
Which lenders make the most SBA loans in Columbia County?
By approvals in FY2021 to FY2025: WBD, Inc. (19), Bank First, N.A. (11), Enterprise Bank & Trust (3), Newtek Bank, National Association (3), Celtic Bank Corporation (3). Volume says how active a lender is, nothing about terms or service.
How large are typical SBA loans in Columbia County?
The median 7(a) approval was $246K and the median 504 approval $635K; the Wisconsin 7(a) median was $225K.
Which industries get the most SBA loans in Columbia County?
Restaurants and Other Eating Places (11); Traveler Accommodation (6); Grocery Stores (5); Lessors of Real Estate (5); General Freight Trucking (4).
Is SBA lending in Columbia County rising?
Approvals in the three latest complete fiscal years total 35, against 54 in the three before: falling (-35%).
How does Columbia County compare with the rest of Wisconsin?
53.8 approvals per 1,000 establishments against 46.3 statewide, and 77 of the state's 6,706 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