Canva
1 / 50#50. Susquehanna County
- SBA approved about $17.59 per resident in 7(a) loans in 2023.
- Total approved funds: $684,000
- Number of loans: 3
Counties receiving the most SBA loans in Pennsylvania
The Small Business Administration backed loans worth $27.5 billion through its primary lending program in 2023—rising well above pre-COVID-19 pandemic levels as government officials aim to stabilize the economy.
Many small businesses get their start and scale up with SBA loans, which increased lending to Black, Latino, and women entrepreneurs in the past few years in step with efforts to become more equitable.
Flippa found the county in Pennsylvania where applicants were approved for the most SBA loan funds per capita in fiscal year 2023, which ended in September. The analysis was based on the SBA's most common loan program, known as 7(a) loans. SBA's 7(a) program provides extra security to lenders when they loan money to small businesses that might otherwise be considered too risky to grant. Loans can be for up to $5 million, but in 2023, nearly 7 in 10 loans were for amounts of $350,000 or less. Small businesses can use these funds for real estate acquisitions or improvements, working capital, supplies and equipment, and for other business startup or acquisition purposes.
Barriers do still exist for eligibility, including income, credit history, and location, but SBA loans can be fruitful for founders who don't qualify for conventional business financing. They can also provide protection against high and volatile interest rates, as SBA-backed loans have maximum interest rates that are predictable and often lower than other loans.
In a national analysis of the #1 ranked counties in every state, all but two counties had populations of less than 500,000—most smaller than 100,000. That's not surprising, as the Census Bureau classifies about 99% of U.S. counties as small. Still, it signifies that these smaller communities are building successful entrepreneurial environments. In most cases, their small businesses are able to succeed beyond those within the major U.S. population centers—at least in terms of success in gaining SBA funding.
Read on to see whether your county ranks among those receiving the most SBA loans.
George Sheldon // Shutterstock
2 / 50#49. Lycoming County
- SBA approved about $20.53 per resident in 7(a) loans in 2023.
- Total approved funds: $2.3 million
- Number of loans: 11
Canva
3 / 50#48. Adams County
- SBA approved about $21.41 per resident in 7(a) loans in 2023.
- Total approved funds: $2.2 million
- Number of loans: 13
Canva
4 / 50#47. Clinton County
- SBA approved about $24.55 per resident in 7(a) loans in 2023.
- Total approved funds: $928,400
- Number of loans: 7
Canva
5 / 50#46. Greene County
- SBA approved about $24.69 per resident in 7(a) loans in 2023.
- Total approved funds: $895,000
- Number of loans: 2
Canva
6 / 50#45. Centre County
- SBA approved about $27.38 per resident in 7(a) loans in 2023.
- Total approved funds: $4.3 million
- Number of loans: 15
Canva
7 / 50#44. Bradford County
- SBA approved about $27.50 per resident in 7(a) loans in 2023.
- Total approved funds: $1.7 million
- Number of loans: 7
Canva
8 / 50#43. Somerset County
- SBA approved about $27.66 per resident in 7(a) loans in 2023.
- Total approved funds: $2.1 million
- Number of loans: 3
Canva
9 / 50#42. Mercer County
- SBA approved about $29.53 per resident in 7(a) loans in 2023.
- Total approved funds: $3.3 million
- Number of loans: 15
Canva
10 / 50#41. Perry County
- SBA approved about $32.85 per resident in 7(a) loans in 2023.
- Total approved funds: $1.5 million
- Number of loans: 5
Canva
11 / 50#40. Union County
- SBA approved about $32.92 per resident in 7(a) loans in 2023.
- Total approved funds: $1.4 million
- Number of loans: 5
Canva
12 / 50#39. Luzerne County
- SBA approved about $34.32 per resident in 7(a) loans in 2023.
- Total approved funds: $11.1 million
- Number of loans: 29
Bennekom // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Schuylkill County
- SBA approved about $34.49 per resident in 7(a) loans in 2023.
- Total approved funds: $4.9 million
- Number of loans: 15
Canva
14 / 50#37. Carbon County
- SBA approved about $35.60 per resident in 7(a) loans in 2023.
- Total approved funds: $2.3 million
- Number of loans: 9
Canva
15 / 50#36. Fayette County
- SBA approved about $37.26 per resident in 7(a) loans in 2023.
- Total approved funds: $4.8 million
- Number of loans: 17
Canva
16 / 50#35. Venango County
- SBA approved about $38.67 per resident in 7(a) loans in 2023.
- Total approved funds: $2.0 million
- Number of loans: 7
Canva
17 / 50#34. Philadelphia County
- SBA approved about $39.72 per resident in 7(a) loans in 2023.
- Total approved funds: $63.4 million
- Number of loans: 244
Delmas Lehman // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Clearfield County
- SBA approved about $40.24 per resident in 7(a) loans in 2023.
- Total approved funds: $3.2 million
- Number of loans: 11
Canva
19 / 50#32. Erie County
- SBA approved about $41.30 per resident in 7(a) loans in 2023.
- Total approved funds: $11.2 million
- Number of loans: 46
Canva
20 / 50#31. Lackawanna County
- SBA approved about $44.18 per resident in 7(a) loans in 2023.
- Total approved funds: $9.5 million
- Number of loans: 43
Canva
21 / 50#30. York County
- SBA approved about $44.23 per resident in 7(a) loans in 2023.
- Total approved funds: $20.1 million
- Number of loans: 70
The American Explorer // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Lawrence County
- SBA approved about $46.14 per resident in 7(a) loans in 2023.
- Total approved funds: $4.0 million
- Number of loans: 26
Canva
23 / 50#28. Cumberland County
- SBA approved about $46.53 per resident in 7(a) loans in 2023.
- Total approved funds: $12.0 million
- Number of loans: 32
Canva
24 / 50#27. Wyoming County
- SBA approved about $49.94 per resident in 7(a) loans in 2023.
- Total approved funds: $1.3 million
- Number of loans: 7
Canva
25 / 50#26. Lancaster County
- SBA approved about $50.47 per resident in 7(a) loans in 2023.
- Total approved funds: $27.8 million
- Number of loans: 52
Orlowski Designs LLC // Shutterstock
26 / 50#25. Beaver County
- SBA approved about $50.60 per resident in 7(a) loans in 2023.
- Total approved funds: $8.5 million
- Number of loans: 43
Canva
27 / 50#24. Lehigh County
- SBA approved about $52.70 per resident in 7(a) loans in 2023.
- Total approved funds: $19.6 million
- Number of loans: 43
Canva
28 / 50#23. Berks County
- SBA approved about $53.98 per resident in 7(a) loans in 2023.
- Total approved funds: $23.0 million
- Number of loans: 50
ESB Professional // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Allegheny County
- SBA approved about $56.29 per resident in 7(a) loans in 2023.
- Total approved funds: $70.1 million
- Number of loans: 247
Canva
30 / 50#21. Lebanon County
- SBA approved about $56.91 per resident in 7(a) loans in 2023.
- Total approved funds: $8.1 million
- Number of loans: 13
Canva
31 / 50#20. Northumberland County
- SBA approved about $62.50 per resident in 7(a) loans in 2023.
- Total approved funds: $5.7 million
- Number of loans: 7
Canva
32 / 50#19. Washington County
- SBA approved about $67.95 per resident in 7(a) loans in 2023.
- Total approved funds: $14.2 million
- Number of loans: 54
Canva
33 / 50#18. Clarion County
- SBA approved about $69.32 per resident in 7(a) loans in 2023.
- Total approved funds: $2.6 million
- Number of loans: 5
Canva
34 / 50#17. Westmoreland County
- SBA approved about $69.72 per resident in 7(a) loans in 2023.
- Total approved funds: $24.8 million
- Number of loans: 46
George Sheldon // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Mifflin County
- SBA approved about $72.04 per resident in 7(a) loans in 2023.
- Total approved funds: $3.3 million
- Number of loans: 4
Canva
36 / 50#15. Blair County
- SBA approved about $73.58 per resident in 7(a) loans in 2023.
- Total approved funds: $9.1 million
- Number of loans: 15
Nick Shoe // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Snyder County
- SBA approved about $75.86 per resident in 7(a) loans in 2023.
- Total approved funds: $3.0 million
- Number of loans: 2
Canva
38 / 50#13. Bucks County
- SBA approved about $79.15 per resident in 7(a) loans in 2023.
- Total approved funds: $51.0 million
- Number of loans: 142
Canva
39 / 50#12. Northampton County
- SBA approved about $84.55 per resident in 7(a) loans in 2023.
- Total approved funds: $26.3 million
- Number of loans: 48
Canva
40 / 50#11. Delaware County
- SBA approved about $86.95 per resident in 7(a) loans in 2023.
- Total approved funds: $49.9 million
- Number of loans: 116
LittleKitty // Shutterstock
41 / 50#10. Chester County
- SBA approved about $89.73 per resident in 7(a) loans in 2023.
- Total approved funds: $47.7 million
- Number of loans: 98
Canva
42 / 50#9. Columbia County
- SBA approved about $90.37 per resident in 7(a) loans in 2023.
- Total approved funds: $5.9 million
- Number of loans: 4
Sabrina Janelle Gordon // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Butler County
- SBA approved about $95.64 per resident in 7(a) loans in 2023.
- Total approved funds: $18.4 million
- Number of loans: 58
Canva
44 / 50#7. Tioga County
- SBA approved about $103.33 per resident in 7(a) loans in 2023.
- Total approved funds: $4.2 million
- Number of loans: 8
Mark Rust // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Indiana County
- SBA approved about $106.15 per resident in 7(a) loans in 2023.
- Total approved funds: $8.9 million
- Number of loans: 11
Canva
46 / 50#5. Dauphin County
- SBA approved about $116.02 per resident in 7(a) loans in 2023.
- Total approved funds: $33.0 million
- Number of loans: 30
Canva
47 / 50#4. Montgomery County
- SBA approved about $126.82 per resident in 7(a) loans in 2023.
- Total approved funds: $107.9 million
- Number of loans: 226
Canva
48 / 50#3. Sullivan County
- SBA approved about $151.64 per resident in 7(a) loans in 2023.
- Total approved funds: $900,000
- Number of loans: 1
Alizada Studios // Shutterstock
49 / 50#2. Wayne County
- SBA approved about $151.67 per resident in 7(a) loans in 2023.
- Total approved funds: $7.8 million
- Number of loans: 10
Canva
50 / 50#1. Jefferson County
- SBA approved about $153.00 per resident in 7(a) loans in 2023.
- Total approved funds: $6.8 million
- Number of loans: 8
This story features data reporting and writing by Paxtyn Merten and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 50 states.
