State lending data
SBA lending in Colorado
5,744 SBA 7(a) loans went to businesses in Colorado recently, at a median of $240,000. The lenders that made them, what they charged, and how the state is trending.
5,744 SBA 7(a) loans went to businesses in Colorado in the most recent fiscal years, at a median of $240,000. The most active lender in the state was The Huntington National Bank, with 897 loans. Approvals are down 31.1% on the year.
SBA lending in Colorado, 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 Colorado, not advertised ranges.
| Measure | Colorado | National |
|---|---|---|
| Loans approved | 5,744 | 214,102 |
| Total approved | $3.3 billion | $104.1 billion |
| Median loan | $240,000 | $150,000 |
| 25th – 75th percentile | $75,000 – $618,225 | $50,000 – $500,000 |
| Median term | 10 years | 10 years |
| Median initial rate | 10.24% | 10.25% |
| Share to startups | 36.6% | 33.6% |
| Charge-off rate, FY2010–19 | 6.0% | 7.1% |
| Jobs supported | 59,193 | 2,142,602 |
| Counties with recorded lending | 59 | — |
| Lenders active in the state | 215 | — |
Is SBA lending in Colorado growing or shrinking?
Shrinking, along with almost every other state. Comparing December 2025 to June 2026 with December 2024 to June 2025, the same months a year earlier, 7(a) approvals to businesses in Colorado went from 1,182 to 814 loans, down 31.1% — while the dollars approved went from $671.7 million to $481.4 million, down 28.3%.
Colorado is falling harder than most of the country: 45th of 51 for year-on-year change, against a national decline of 21.0%.
| Fiscal year | Loans in Colorado | Loans nationally | State share |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY2023 | 1,296 | 51,747 | 2.5% |
| FY2024 | 1,638 | 62,618 | 2.6% |
| FY2025 | 1,881 | 64,096 | 2.9% |
| FY2026 (part year) | 929 | 35,641 | 2.6% |
Which lenders actually fund businesses in Colorado
Ranked by loans approved inside Colorado. The median, startup share and rate columns describe each lender's own Colorado 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 | 897 | $140,000 | 55% | 10.25% |
| U.S. Bank | 499 | $40,000 | 33% | 9.49% |
| Live Oak Banking Company | 275 | $625,000 | 23% | 9.50% |
| Wells Fargo Bank | 247 | $25,000 | 84% | 12.00% |
| Newtek Bank | 238 | $200,000 | 13% | 11.00% |
| JPMorgan Chase Bank | 206 | $225,000 | 10% | 10.85% |
| Readycap Lending, LLC | 204 | $106,000 | 16% | 11.25% |
| Zions Bank | 192 | $100,000 | 37% | 10.12% |
| KeyBank | 184 | $50,000 | 65% | 11.11% |
| BayFirst National Bank | 180 | $150,000 | 2% | 12.50% |
| Northeast Bank | 154 | $105,850 | 10% | 10.75% |
| Hanmi Bank | 148 | $680,000 | 7% | 9.50% |
What stands out about Colorado
Reading the state's own figures against the national picture:
- Loans here run larger than average. The median of $240,000 is 60% 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 36.6% against 33.6% nationally.
Who borrows in Colorado
The industry mix of SBA borrowers here, led by construction.
| Sector | Loans | Share | Median loan | To startups |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Construction | 940 | 16.4% | $181,500 | 28% |
| Retail | 731 | 12.7% | $350,000 | 34% |
| Restaurants and Hotels | 695 | 12.1% | $350,000 | 52% |
| Professional Services | 634 | 11.0% | $200,000 | 24% |
| Personal Services | 630 | 11.0% | $197,250 | 39% |
| Healthcare | 518 | 9.0% | $300,750 | 42% |
| Manufacturing | 333 | 5.8% | $250,000 | 36% |
| Admin Services | 311 | 5.4% | $150,000 | 36% |
| Arts and Recreation | 230 | 4.0% | $267,450 | 69% |
| Real Estate | 150 | 2.6% | $205,000 | 37% |
| Trucking | 149 | 2.6% | $125,000 | 35% |
| Wholesale | 144 | 2.5% | $259,000 | 29% |
Where the money goes in Colorado
SBA lending is more concentrated than state totals suggest, and Denver County alone accounts for 14% of the state's loans.
| County | Loans | Median loan | Total approved |
|---|---|---|---|
| Denver County | 828 | $223,000 | $413.9 million |
| Arapahoe County | 788 | $250,000 | $427.0 million |
| El Paso County | 719 | $175,000 | $348.1 million |
| Jefferson County | 659 | $240,000 | $421.0 million |
| Douglas County | 428 | $209,000 | $209.8 million |
| Adams County | 424 | $189,000 | $249.8 million |
| Boulder County | 388 | $203,250 | $191.6 million |
| Larimer County | 337 | $300,000 | $233.2 million |
| Weld County | 239 | $350,000 | $153.4 million |
| Mesa County | 125 | $295,400 | $85.4 million |
| Pueblo County | 87 | $150,000 | $46.7 million |
| Summit County | 70 | $265,000 | $48.2 million |
SBA 504 in Colorado
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 | Colorado 504 | National 504 |
|---|---|---|
| Projects approved | 556 | 22,192 |
| Median CDC share | $613,000 | $730,000 |
| Median total project | $1,387,146 | $1,642,000 |
| Median term | 25 years | 25 years |
- Which CDCs operate here, and on what terms: SBA 504 in Colorado
- 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 Colorado 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: Washington, Massachusetts, Georgia, North Carolina, Illinois, Minnesota, California, Florida
Questions people actually ask
How many SBA loans are approved in Colorado each year?
5,744 SBA 7(a) loans were approved to businesses in Colorado across fiscal years 2023 to 2026, using data released June 2026, worth $3.3 billion in total. Over the most recent comparable months the number of approvals ran down 31.1% year on year, while the dollars approved ran down 28.3%.
Which bank approves the most SBA loans in Colorado?
The Huntington National Bank, with 897 loans approved to businesses in the state and a median loan of $140,000. 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 Colorado?
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.