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County10th of 50 in West Virginia by approvalsFIPS 54037
SBA loans in Jefferson County, West Virginia
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 32 loans to businesses in Jefferson County, West Virginia, in FY2021 to FY2025, worth $20.4M: 30 under 7(a) and 2 under 504.
That is 32.8 approvals per 1,000 business establishments (976 establishments in 2023), above the West Virginia figure of 26.7 and below the national 41.0.
It ranks 10th of 50 West Virginia counties with approvals. In FY2025 there were 9.
19 lenders had approvals here; the most active were Potomac Bank (9), Northeast Bank (3) and Celtic Bank Corporation (2). The most common industry was services to buildings and dwellings.
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 Jefferson County
By number of approvals to businesses in the county, FY2021–FY2025; 19 lenders had at least one.
| # | Lender | Approvals | Dollars | Share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Potomac BankCharles Town, WV | 9 | $1.6M | 28.1% | |
| 2 | Northeast BankLewiston, ME | 3 | $703K | 9.4% | |
| 3 | Celtic Bank CorporationSalt Lake City, UT | 2 | — | 6.3% | |
| 4 | Business Finance Group, Inc.Fairfax, VA · CDC | 2 | — | 6.3% | |
| 5 | The Huntington National BankColumbus, OH | 2 | — | 6.3% | |
| 6 | Commonwealth Business BankLos Angeles, CA | 1 | — | 3.1% | |
| 7 | First Western SBLC, LLCDallas, TX | 1 | — | 3.1% | |
| 8 | Open BankLos Angeles, CA | 1 | — | 3.1% | |
| 9 | UniBankLynnwood, WA | 1 | — | 3.1% | |
| 10 | Citizens BankElizabethton, TN | 1 | — | 3.1% | |
| 11 | First Merchants BankIndianapolis, IN | 1 | — | 3.1% | |
| 12 | The First Bank and Trust CompanyLebanon, VA | 1 | — | 3.1% | |
| 13 | JPMorgan Chase Bank, National AssociationColumbus, OH | 1 | — | 3.1% | |
| 14 | BayFirst National BankSaint Petersburg, FL | 1 | — | 3.1% | |
| 15 | First Bank of the LakeOsage Beach, MO | 1 | — | 3.1% |
Industries
| # | Industry group (NAICS 4-digit) | Approvals | Share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Services to Buildings and DwellingsNAICS 5617 | 8 | 25.0% | |
| 2 | Traveler AccommodationNAICS 7211 | 3 | 9.4% | |
| 3 | Restaurants and Other Eating PlacesNAICS 7225 | 2 | 6.3% | |
| 4 | Automotive Repair and MaintenanceNAICS 8111 | 2 | 6.3% | |
| 5 | Clothing and Clothing Accessories RetailersNAICS 4581 | 2 | 6.3% | |
| 6 | Vending Machine OperatorsNAICS 4542 | 1 | 3.1% | |
| 7 | Drycleaning and Laundry ServicesNAICS 8123 | 1 | 3.1% | |
| 8 | Offices of Real Estate Agents and BrokersNAICS 5312 | 1 | 3.1% | |
| 9 | Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical ServicesNAICS 5419 | 1 | 3.1% | |
| 10 | Furniture and Home Furnishings RetailersNAICS 4491 | 1 | 3.1% |
Sectors
| # | NAICS sector | Approvals | Share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 8 | 25.0% | |
| 2 | Accommodation and Food Services | 6 | 18.8% | |
| 3 | Retail Trade | 4 | 12.5% | |
| 4 | Other Services (except Public Administration) | 3 | 9.4% | |
| 5 | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 2 | 6.3% | |
| 6 | Real Estate and Rental and Leasing | 2 | 6.3% | |
| 7 | Construction | 2 | 6.3% | |
| 8 | Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction | 1 | 3.1% |
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* | 8 | $5.6M | $161K | 2 | — | 10 | 89 |
| FY2025 | 9 | $7.4M | $103K | 0 | — | 9 | 133 |
| FY2024 | 7 | $4.8M | $150K | 0 | — | 7 | 104 |
| FY2023 | 5 | $864K | $239K | 1 | — | 6 | 75 |
| FY2022 | 4 | $715K | $170K | 1 | — | 5 | 39 |
| FY2021 | 5 | $5.9M | $516K | 0 | — | 5 | 69 |
| FY2020 | 5 | $542K | $66K | 1 | — | 6 | 69 |
| FY2019 | 7 | $6.9M | $150K | 0 | — | 7 | 68 |
| FY2018 | 1 | — | — | 0 | — | 1 | 6 |
| FY2017 | 5 | $486K | $102K | 0 | — | 5 | 91 |
| FY2016 | 5 | $543K | $110K | 0 | — | 5 | 22 |
In FY2016–FY2020, the five fiscal years before the current window, the county had 24 approvals.
Against West Virginia and the country
| FY2021–FY2025 | Jefferson County | West Virginia | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Approvals | 32 | 958 | 342,825 |
| Approvals per 1,000 establishments | 32.8 | 26.7 | 41.0 |
| Median 7(a) approval | $168K | $115K | $190K |
| Median 504 approval | — | $438K | $657K |
| Average approval | $637K | $398K | $573K |
| 504 share of approvals | 6.3% | 2.4% | 11.0% |
| Jobs supported per approval, as reported | 13.1 | 9.1 | 10.5 |
| Share of state approvals | 3.3% | 100.0% | — |
Approval sizes
- $50,000 or less21.9%7
- $50,001 to $150,00021.9%7
- $150,001 to $350,00028.1%9
- $350,001 to $1 million15.6%5
- $1 million to $2 million3.1%1
- Over $2 million9.4%3
Age of the businesses
- Existing, more than 2 years old59.4%19
- New business, 2 years or less6.3%2
- Startup, loan funds will open the business18.8%6
- Change of ownership15.6%5
Questions and answers
Which lenders make the most SBA loans in Jefferson County?
By approvals in FY2021 to FY2025: Potomac Bank (9), Northeast Bank (3), Celtic Bank Corporation (2), Business Finance Group, Inc. (2), The Huntington National Bank (2). Volume says how active a lender is, nothing about terms or service.
How large are typical SBA loans in Jefferson County?
The median 7(a) approval was $168K; the West Virginia 7(a) median was $115K.
Which industries get the most SBA loans in Jefferson County?
Services to Buildings and Dwellings (8); Traveler Accommodation (3); Restaurants and Other Eating Places (2); Automotive Repair and Maintenance (2); Clothing and Clothing Accessories Retailers (2).
Is SBA lending in Jefferson County rising?
Approvals in the three latest complete fiscal years total 22, against 16 in the three before: rising (+38%).
How does Jefferson County compare with the rest of West Virginia?
32.8 approvals per 1,000 establishments against 26.7 statewide, and 32 of the state's 958 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