States › Wisconsin › Portage County
County28th of 71 in Wisconsin by approvalsFIPS 55097
SBA loans in Portage 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 Portage County, Wisconsin, received 48 SBA loan approvals worth $31.6M in FY2021 to FY2025 (35 7(a), 13 504).
That is 28.0 approvals per 1,000 business establishments (1,715 establishments in 2023), below the Wisconsin figure of 46.3 and below the national 41.0.
It ranks 28th of 71 Wisconsin counties with approvals. In FY2025 there were 5.
23 lenders had approvals here; the most active were WBD, Inc. (12), Prevail Bank (5) and IncredibleBank (4). 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 Portage County
By number of approvals to businesses in the county, FY2021–FY2025; 23 lenders had at least one.
| # | Lender | Approvals | Dollars | Share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | WBD, Inc.Madison, WI · CDC | 12 | $11.5M | 25.0% | |
| 2 | Prevail BankMedford, WI | 5 | $1.1M | 10.4% | |
| 3 | IncredibleBankWausau, WI | 4 | $1.7M | 8.3% | |
| 4 | Readycap Lending, LLCBerkeley Heights, NJ | 3 | $345K | 6.3% | |
| 5 | The Huntington National BankColumbus, OH | 3 | $96K | 6.3% | |
| 6 | First State BankNew London, WI | 2 | — | 4.2% | |
| 7 | BayFirst National BankSaint Petersburg, FL | 2 | — | 4.2% | |
| 8 | Newtek Bank, National AssociationMiami, FL | 2 | — | 4.2% | |
| 9 | Paper City Savings Bank S AWisconsin Rapids, WI | 1 | — | 2.1% | |
| 10 | Alerus Financial, National AssociationGrand Forks, ND | 1 | — | 2.1% | |
| 11 | Shoreham BankWarwick, RI | 1 | — | 2.1% | |
| 12 | Newtek Small Business Finance, Inc.Lake Success, NY | 1 | — | 2.1% | |
| 13 | Wells Fargo Bank National AssociationSioux Falls, SD | 1 | — | 2.1% | |
| 14 | One Community BankOregon, WI | 1 | — | 2.1% | |
| 15 | Old National BankEvansville, IN | 1 | — | 2.1% |
Industries
| # | Industry group (NAICS 4-digit) | Approvals | Share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Restaurants and Other Eating PlacesNAICS 7225 | 5 | 10.4% | |
| 2 | Services to Buildings and DwellingsNAICS 5617 | 5 | 10.4% | |
| 3 | Traveler AccommodationNAICS 7211 | 3 | 6.3% | |
| 4 | Automotive Repair and MaintenanceNAICS 8111 | 3 | 6.3% | |
| 5 | Other Specialty Trade ContractorsNAICS 2389 | 3 | 6.3% | |
| 6 | Architectural and Structural Metals ManufacturingNAICS 3323 | 2 | 4.2% | |
| 7 | Other Motor Vehicle DealersNAICS 4412 | 2 | 4.2% | |
| 8 | Sporting Goods, Hobby, and Musical Instrument RetailersNAICS 4591 | 2 | 4.2% | |
| 9 | Clothing and Clothing Accessories RetailersNAICS 4581 | 2 | 4.2% | |
| 10 | Other Miscellaneous Store RetailersNAICS 4539 | 1 | 2.1% |
Sectors
| # | NAICS sector | Approvals | Share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Accommodation and Food Services | 9 | 18.8% | |
| 2 | Retail Trade | 9 | 18.8% | |
| 3 | Other Services (except Public Administration) | 7 | 14.6% | |
| 4 | Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 5 | 10.4% | |
| 5 | Manufacturing | 4 | 8.3% | |
| 6 | Real Estate and Rental and Leasing | 3 | 6.3% | |
| 7 | Construction | 3 | 6.3% | |
| 8 | Health Care and Social Assistance | 2 | 4.2% |
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* | 6 | $6.2M | $741K | 1 | — | 7 | 92 |
| FY2025 | 3 | $3.1M | $832K | 2 | — | 5 | 99 |
| FY2024 | 7 | $841K | $50K | 1 | — | 8 | 15 |
| FY2023 | 7 | $1.3M | $40K | 2 | — | 9 | 111 |
| FY2022 | 7 | $5.3M | $394K | 2 | — | 9 | 173 |
| FY2021 | 11 | $9.1M | $393K | 6 | $5.3M | 17 | 233 |
| FY2020 | 8 | $2.7M | $301K | 1 | — | 9 | 83 |
| FY2019 | 10 | $5.6M | $175K | 2 | — | 12 | 111 |
| FY2018 | 10 | $1.5M | $69K | 1 | — | 11 | 114 |
| FY2017 | 9 | $3.8M | $150K | 2 | — | 11 | 95 |
| FY2016 | 8 | $3.2M | $232K | 0 | — | 8 | 237 |
In FY2016–FY2020, the five fiscal years before the current window, the county had 51 approvals.
Against Wisconsin and the country
| FY2021–FY2025 | Portage County | Wisconsin | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Approvals | 48 | 6,706 | 342,825 |
| Approvals per 1,000 establishments | 28.0 | 46.3 | 41.0 |
| Median 7(a) approval | $182K | $225K | $190K |
| Median 504 approval | $565K | $616K | $657K |
| Average approval | $658K | $594K | $573K |
| 504 share of approvals | 27.1% | 18.4% | 11.0% |
| Jobs supported per approval, as reported | 13.1 | 11.0 | 10.5 |
| Share of state approvals | 0.7% | 100.0% | — |
Approval sizes
- $50,000 or less25.0%12
- $50,001 to $150,00010.4%5
- $150,001 to $350,00016.7%8
- $350,001 to $1 million27.1%13
- $1 million to $2 million8.3%4
- Over $2 million12.5%6
Age of the businesses
- Existing, more than 2 years old62.5%30
- New business, 2 years or less16.7%8
- Startup, loan funds will open the business10.4%5
- Change of ownership10.4%5
Questions and answers
Which lenders make the most SBA loans in Portage County?
By approvals in FY2021 to FY2025: WBD, Inc. (12), Prevail Bank (5), IncredibleBank (4), Readycap Lending, LLC (3), The Huntington National Bank (3). Volume says how active a lender is, nothing about terms or service.
How large are typical SBA loans in Portage County?
The median 7(a) approval was $182K and the median 504 approval $565K; the Wisconsin 7(a) median was $225K.
Which industries get the most SBA loans in Portage County?
Restaurants and Other Eating Places (5); Services to Buildings and Dwellings (5); Traveler Accommodation (3); Automotive Repair and Maintenance (3); Other Specialty Trade Contractors (3).
Is SBA lending in Portage County rising?
Approvals in the three latest complete fiscal years total 22, against 35 in the three before: falling (-37%).
How does Portage County compare with the rest of Wisconsin?
28.0 approvals per 1,000 establishments against 46.3 statewide, and 48 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