State lending data
SBA lending in Arizona
4,330 SBA 7(a) loans went to businesses in Arizona recently, at a median of $263,250. The lenders that made them, what they charged, and how the state is trending.
4,330 SBA 7(a) loans went to businesses in Arizona in the most recent fiscal years, at a median of $263,250. The most active lender in the state was The Huntington National Bank, with 295 loans. Approvals are down 19.8% on the year.
SBA lending in Arizona, by the numbers
Every figure here is computed from SBA 7(a) loan-level FOIA data released 2026-06-30 — loans actually approved to businesses in Arizona, not advertised ranges.
| Measure | Arizona | National |
|---|---|---|
| Loans approved | 4,330 | 214,102 |
| Total approved | $2.5 billion | $104.1 billion |
| Median loan | $263,250 | $150,000 |
| 25th – 75th percentile | $90,000 – $645,625 | $50,000 – $500,000 |
| Median term | 10 years | 10 years |
| Median initial rate | 10.25% | 10.25% |
| Share to startups | 35.0% | 33.6% |
| Charge-off rate, FY2010–19 | 6.6% | 7.1% |
| Jobs supported | 48,084 | 2,142,602 |
| Counties with recorded lending | 14 | — |
| Lenders active in the state | 187 | — |
Is SBA lending in Arizona growing or shrinking?
Fewer, larger loans. The number of approvals fell while the total dollars approved rose, so what shrank in Arizona is small-loan lending. Comparing December 2025 to June 2026 with December 2024 to June 2025, the same months a year earlier, 7(a) approvals to businesses in Arizona went from 818 to 656 loans, down 19.8% — while the dollars approved went from $408.4 million to $469.1 million, up 14.9%. The average approval rose from $499,212 to $715,074, so the change is weighted toward larger loans.
That puts Arizona mid-table — 28th of 51 for year-on-year change, against a national decline of 21.0%.
| Fiscal year | Loans in Arizona | Loans nationally | State share |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY2023 | 1,020 | 51,747 | 2.0% |
| FY2024 | 1,186 | 62,618 | 1.9% |
| FY2025 | 1,367 | 64,096 | 2.1% |
| FY2026 (part year) | 757 | 35,641 | 2.1% |
Which lenders actually fund businesses in Arizona
Ranked by loans approved inside Arizona. The median, startup share and rate columns describe each lender's own Arizona loans, not its national averages — the same bank often writes very different business from one state to the next.
| Lender | Loans | Median loan | Startup share | Median rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Huntington National Bank | 295 | $250,000 | 75% | 10.25% |
| Wells Fargo Bank | 278 | $25,000 | 79% | 12.62% |
| U.S. Bank | 270 | $40,000 | 34% | 9.00% |
| Zions Bank | 260 | $100,000 | 35% | 10.50% |
| JPMorgan Chase Bank | 215 | $250,000 | 12% | 10.90% |
| Newtek Bank | 206 | $200,000 | 16% | 11.00% |
| Live Oak Banking Company | 168 | $822,500 | 24% | 9.25% |
| Readycap Lending, LLC | 165 | $150,000 | 19% | 11.25% |
| BayFirst National Bank | 162 | $150,000 | 4% | 12.25% |
| Northeast Bank | 149 | $140,800 | 13% | 10.75% |
| Celtic Bank Corporation | 130 | $150,000 | 22% | 10.50% |
| United Midwest Savings Bank | 95 | $150,000 | 73% | 10.50% |
What stands out about Arizona
Reading the state's own figures against the national picture:
- Loans here run larger than average. The median of $263,250 is 76% 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 close to average, at 35.0% against 33.6% nationally.
Who borrows in Arizona
The industry mix of SBA borrowers here, led by construction.
| Sector | Loans | Share | Median loan | To startups |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Construction | 597 | 13.8% | $250,000 | 28% |
| Healthcare | 549 | 12.7% | $350,000 | 36% |
| Restaurants and Hotels | 491 | 11.3% | $399,500 | 53% |
| Personal Services | 478 | 11.0% | $259,750 | 34% |
| Professional Services | 465 | 10.7% | $181,800 | 22% |
| Retail | 416 | 9.6% | $300,000 | 38% |
| Admin Services | 282 | 6.5% | $201,000 | 34% |
| Manufacturing | 229 | 5.3% | $350,000 | 24% |
| Arts and Recreation | 171 | 3.9% | $350,000 | 67% |
| Trucking | 168 | 3.9% | $150,000 | 38% |
| Wholesale | 139 | 3.2% | $265,000 | 22% |
| Real Estate | 116 | 2.7% | $202,000 | 32% |
Where the money goes in Arizona
SBA lending is more concentrated than state totals suggest, and Maricopa County alone accounts for 73% of the state's loans.
| County | Loans | Median loan | Total approved |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maricopa County | 3,151 | $283,500 | $1.8 billion |
| Pima County | 485 | $254,000 | $254.6 million |
| Yavapai County | 150 | $326,300 | $101.0 million |
| Pinal County | 122 | $170,000 | $74.5 million |
| Mohave County | 106 | $193,050 | $73.5 million |
| Coconino County | 81 | $250,000 | $64.0 million |
| Yuma County | 65 | $81,000 | $13.7 million |
| Navajo County | 57 | $350,000 | $41.8 million |
| Cochise County | 51 | $135,000 | $28.7 million |
| Gila County | 28 | $181,250 | $10.3 million |
SBA 504 in Arizona
7(a) is the general-purpose program. 504 is the one for buying the building or the heavy equipment, at a long fixed rate — a different program with its own lenders, called Certified Development Companies.
| Measure | Arizona 504 | National 504 |
|---|---|---|
| Projects approved | 695 | 22,192 |
| Median CDC share | $774,000 | $730,000 |
| Median total project | $1,762,000 | $1,642,000 |
| Median term | 25 years | 25 years |
- Which CDCs operate here, and on what terms: SBA 504 in Arizona
- How the two programs differ: SBA 504 loans and SBA 7(a) loans
How to use this page
- Start from the lender table, not a search engine. Shortlist three whose median loan in Arizona is near what you need. Size match beats brand.
- Follow your industry link in the sector table for the lenders that fund your kind of business in this state specifically.
- Then your county, if it is listed, for the local picture.
- Check the payment before you apply with the affordability calculator — lenders decline on cash flow more than on anything else.
- Filter the whole lender file yourself in the lender finder if you want to combine state, industry, loan size and business age at once.
Other states
- States of comparable lending volume: Minnesota, Indiana, North Carolina, Maryland, Massachusetts, Virginia, California, Florida
Questions people actually ask
How many SBA loans are approved in Arizona each year?
4,330 SBA 7(a) loans were approved to businesses in Arizona across fiscal years 2023 to 2026, using data released June 2026, worth $2.5 billion in total. Over the most recent comparable months the number of approvals ran down 19.8% year on year, while the dollars approved ran up 14.9%.
Which bank approves the most SBA loans in Arizona?
The Huntington National Bank, with 295 loans approved to businesses in the state and a median loan of $250,000. That makes it the most active, not necessarily the best fit — a lender whose median is far from your number is usually the wrong call.
Do I have to use a lender based in Arizona?
No. SBA lenders routinely lend across state lines and several of the largest are non-bank lenders with no branches at all. What the state data tells you is which institutions are already comfortable with businesses like yours here.