Industry data
Financing for nursing and care homes: what the loan data shows
196 SBA 7(a) loans went to nursing and care homes recently, at a median of $500,000. The lenders that make them, the terms they write, and what underwriters look at.
196 SBA 7(a) loans went to nursing and care homes in the most recent fiscal years, at a median of $500,000 over 10 years. 37.2% went to new or under-two-year-old businesses, and the most active lender was Celtic Bank Corporation.
What a nursing and care home loan actually looks like
These are approvals, not advertised ranges. Computed from SBA 7(a) loan-level FOIA data released 2026-06-30.
| Measure | Nursing and residential care | All 7(a) borrowers |
|---|---|---|
| Loans approved, fiscal years 2023 to 2026, using data released June 2026 | 196 | 214,102 |
| Median loan | $500,000 | $150,000 |
| 25th - 75th percentile | $150,000 - $1,362,250 | $50,000 - $500,000 |
| Median term | 10 years | 10 years |
| Median initial rate | 10.00% | 10.25% |
| Share to new businesses | 37.2% | 33.6% |
| Charge-off rate, FY2010-19 | 4.3% | 7.1% |
What stands out
Reading these figures against all 7(a) borrowers:
- Loans here run larger than average. The median of $500,000 is 233% above the $150,000 national median. Expect lenders in this market to be geared toward bigger deals, and expect a small request to get less attention.
- Startup share is about average, at 37% against 34% nationally.
- Lending here is fragmented. The top three lenders made only 24% of these loans between them, so no single institution owns this market. That is good news: it means shopping genuinely pays.
- This market has performed well. Its FY2010-2019 charge-off rate of 4.3% is below the 7.1% overall figure, which is part of why lenders compete for it.
Which lenders actually fund nursing and care homes
Ranked by loans approved in this niche. The median, startup share and rate describe each lender's own loans to nursing and care homes, not its national averages — which is how you spot a genuine specialist.
| Lender | Loans | Median loan | Startup share | Median rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Celtic Bank Corporation | 20 | $2,414,500 | 40% | 10.00% |
| The Huntington National Bank | 19 | $200,000 | 32% | 9.75% |
| BayFirst National Bank | 8 | $150,000 | 0% | 13.25% |
| TowneBank | 6 | $891,500 | 67% | 9.88% |
| ChoiceOne Bank | 6 | $506,850 | 0% | 9.38% |
| Columbia Bank | 6 | $50,000 | 17% | 12.50% |
| Banco Popular de Puerto Rico | 6 | $45,000 | 33% | 12.00% |
| Zions Bank | 6 | $799,800 | 33% | 7.39% |
| Byline Bank | 4 | $1,060,000 | 50% | 10.50% |
| Wells Fargo Bank | 4 | $15,000 | 100% | 14.38% |
Where these businesses borrow
Most active states for nursing and care homes: California (45), Michigan (16), Washington (15), Texas (13), Minnesota (12), Florida (11).
Which financing fits
| Product | Fit for this sector | Typical cost |
|---|---|---|
| SBA 7(a) | The dominant vehicle in this niche | 10.0% - 14.0% APR |
| Commercial mortgage | If you are buying the building | 6.5% - 9.5% APR |
| Equipment financing | For the hard assets, often cheaper separately | 7.0% - 30.0% APR |
| Business acquisition loan | If you are buying an existing operation | 10.0% - 14.0% APR |
Before you apply
- Check coverage first. Run the payment through the affordability calculator at 1.25x.
- Shortlist from the lender table, favouring ones whose median loan here is close to what you need.
- Assemble the documents — see the checklist.
- If you are buying rather than starting, read business acquisition loans first; the injection rules and diligence are different.