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County1st of 71 in Wisconsin by approvalsFIPS 55079
SBA loans in Milwaukee 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 Milwaukee County, Wisconsin, received 924 SBA loan approvals worth $514M in FY2021 to FY2025 (791 7(a), 133 504).
That is 45.1 approvals per 1,000 business establishments (20,466 establishments in 2023), close to the Wisconsin figure of 46.3 and close to the national 41.0.
It ranks 1st of 71 Wisconsin counties with approvals. In FY2025 there were 210, up 8% on FY2024.
94 lenders had approvals here; the most active were WBD, Inc. (118), The Huntington National Bank (98) and U.S. Bank, National Association (90). 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 Milwaukee County
By number of approvals to businesses in the county, FY2021–FY2025; 94 lenders had at least one.
| # | Lender | Approvals | Dollars | Share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | WBD, Inc.Madison, WI · CDC | 118 | $105M | 12.8% | |
| 2 | The Huntington National BankColumbus, OH | 98 | $24.6M | 10.6% | |
| 3 | U.S. Bank, National AssociationCincinnati, OH | 90 | $11.0M | 9.7% | |
| 4 | Wisconsin Women's Business Initiative CorporationMilwaukee, WI | 67 | $10.8M | 7.3% | |
| 5 | Byline BankChicago, IL | 35 | $44.7M | 3.8% | |
| 6 | Old National BankEvansville, IN | 33 | $25.9M | 3.6% | |
| 7 | Waukesha State BankWaukesha, WI | 32 | $22.0M | 3.5% | |
| 8 | Newtek Bank, National AssociationMiami, FL | 25 | $16.9M | 2.7% | |
| 9 | Readycap Lending, LLCBerkeley Heights, NJ | 23 | $7.0M | 2.5% | |
| 10 | Associated Bank National AssociationGreen Bay, WI | 22 | $9.8M | 2.4% | |
| 11 | Summit CUCottage Grove, WI | 22 | $4.9M | 2.4% | |
| 12 | Northeast BankLewiston, ME | 20 | $2.4M | 2.2% | |
| 13 | Town Bank, National AssociationHartland, WI | 16 | $5.8M | 1.7% | |
| 14 | Live Oak Banking CompanyWilmington, NC | 14 | $21.8M | 1.5% | |
| 15 | First Internet Bank of IndianaFishers, IN | 14 | $19.7M | 1.5% |
Industries
| # | Industry group (NAICS 4-digit) | Approvals | Share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Restaurants and Other Eating PlacesNAICS 7225 | 93 | 10.1% | |
| 2 | Child Day Care ServicesNAICS 6244 | 40 | 4.3% | |
| 3 | General Freight TruckingNAICS 4841 | 39 | 4.2% | |
| 4 | Automotive Repair and MaintenanceNAICS 8111 | 29 | 3.1% | |
| 5 | Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages)NAICS 7224 | 28 | 3.0% | |
| 6 | Other Personal ServicesNAICS 8129 | 27 | 2.9% | |
| 7 | Services to Buildings and DwellingsNAICS 5617 | 24 | 2.6% | |
| 8 | Building Equipment ContractorsNAICS 2382 | 23 | 2.5% | |
| 9 | Personal Care ServicesNAICS 8121 | 23 | 2.5% | |
| 10 | Other Amusement and Recreation IndustriesNAICS 7139 | 18 | 1.9% |
Sectors
| # | NAICS sector | Approvals | Share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Accommodation and Food Services | 142 | 15.4% | |
| 2 | Retail Trade | 128 | 13.9% | |
| 3 | Health Care and Social Assistance | 112 | 12.1% | |
| 4 | Other Services (except Public Administration) | 93 | 10.1% | |
| 5 | Manufacturing | 81 | 8.8% | |
| 6 | Construction | 75 | 8.1% | |
| 7 | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 68 | 7.4% | |
| 8 | Transportation and Warehousing | 67 | 7.3% |
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* | 75 | $45.8M | $150K | 17 | $13.4M | 92 | 1,120 |
| FY2025 | 191 | $88.1M | $150K | 19 | $21.4M | 210 | 2,392 |
| FY2024 | 183 | $91.5M | $150K | 11 | $9.8M | 194 | 2,154 |
| FY2023 | 141 | $56.7M | $150K | 22 | $19.9M | 163 | 1,590 |
| FY2022 | 109 | $61.2M | $250K | 44 | $35.3M | 153 | 1,632 |
| FY2021 | 167 | $96.4M | $226K | 37 | $33.1M | 204 | 2,420 |
| FY2020 | 133 | $67.0M | $200K | 27 | $27.4M | 160 | 1,747 |
| FY2019 | 144 | $77.6M | $203K | 14 | $9.8M | 158 | 1,907 |
| FY2018 | 171 | $72.3M | $150K | 11 | $10.4M | 182 | 2,399 |
| FY2017 | 186 | $75.0M | $150K | 15 | $11.1M | 201 | 2,909 |
| FY2016 | 195 | $87.2M | $150K | 16 | $13.4M | 211 | 3,324 |
In FY2016–FY2020, the five fiscal years before the current window, the county had 912 approvals.
Against Wisconsin and the country
| FY2021–FY2025 | Milwaukee County | Wisconsin | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Approvals | 924 | 6,706 | 342,825 |
| Approvals per 1,000 establishments | 45.1 | 46.3 | 41.0 |
| Median 7(a) approval | $190K | $225K | $190K |
| Median 504 approval | $679K | $616K | $657K |
| Average approval | $556K | $594K | $573K |
| 504 share of approvals | 14.4% | 18.4% | 11.0% |
| Jobs supported per approval, as reported | 11.0 | 11.0 | 10.5 |
| Share of state approvals | 13.8% | 100.0% | — |
Approval sizes
- $50,000 or less21.0%194
- $50,001 to $150,00020.5%189
- $150,001 to $350,00020.0%185
- $350,001 to $1 million23.6%218
- $1 million to $2 million9.0%83
- Over $2 million6.0%55
Age of the businesses
- Existing, more than 2 years old57.4%530
- New business, 2 years or less14.9%138
- Startup, loan funds will open the business17.3%160
- Change of ownership10.2%94
- Not answered0.2%2
Questions and answers
Which lenders make the most SBA loans in Milwaukee County?
By approvals in FY2021 to FY2025: WBD, Inc. (118), The Huntington National Bank (98), U.S. Bank, National Association (90), Wisconsin Women's Business Initiative Corporation (67), Byline Bank (35). Volume says how active a lender is, nothing about terms or service.
How large are typical SBA loans in Milwaukee County?
The median 7(a) approval was $190K and the median 504 approval $679K; the Wisconsin 7(a) median was $225K.
Which industries get the most SBA loans in Milwaukee County?
Restaurants and Other Eating Places (93); Child Day Care Services (40); General Freight Trucking (39); Automotive Repair and Maintenance (29); Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) (28).
Is SBA lending in Milwaukee County rising?
Approvals in the three latest complete fiscal years total 567, against 517 in the three before: rising (+10%).
How does Milwaukee County compare with the rest of Wisconsin?
45.1 approvals per 1,000 establishments against 46.3 statewide, and 924 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