State lending data
SBA lending in Delaware
754 SBA 7(a) loans went to businesses in Delaware recently, at a median of $100,000. The lenders that made them, what they charged, and how the state is trending.
754 SBA 7(a) loans went to businesses in Delaware in the most recent fiscal years, at a median of $100,000. The most active lender in the state was Manufacturers and Traders Trust Company, with 264 loans. Approvals are down 12.7% on the year.
SBA lending in Delaware, 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 Delaware, not advertised ranges.
| Measure | Delaware | National |
|---|---|---|
| Loans approved | 754 | 214,102 |
| Total approved | $283.8 million | $104.1 billion |
| Median loan | $100,000 | $150,000 |
| 25th – 75th percentile | $30,000 – $350,000 | $50,000 – $500,000 |
| Median term | 10 years | 10 years |
| Median initial rate | 10.75% | 10.25% |
| Share to startups | 39.9% | 33.6% |
| Charge-off rate, FY2010–19 | 7.5% | 7.1% |
| Jobs supported | 6,018 | 2,142,602 |
| Counties with recorded lending | 3 | — |
| Lenders active in the state | 77 | — |
Is SBA lending in Delaware growing or shrinking?
Fewer, larger loans. The number of approvals fell while the total dollars approved rose, so what shrank in Delaware 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 Delaware went from 142 to 124 loans, down 12.7% — while the dollars approved went from $42.4 million to $52.2 million, up 23.0%. The average approval rose from $298,666 to $420,794, so the change is weighted toward larger loans.
Delaware is holding up better than most of the country: 9th of 51 for year-on-year change, against a national decline of 21.0%.
| Fiscal year | Loans in Delaware | Loans nationally | State share |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY2023 | 181 | 51,747 | 0.3% |
| FY2024 | 213 | 62,618 | 0.3% |
| FY2025 | 223 | 64,096 | 0.3% |
| FY2026 (part year) | 137 | 35,641 | 0.4% |
Which lenders actually fund businesses in Delaware
Ranked by loans approved inside Delaware. The median, startup share and rate columns describe each lender's own Delaware 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manufacturers and Traders Trust Company | 264 | $45,000 | 39% | 11.25% |
| TD Bank | 79 | $40,000 | 29% | 11.50% |
| Wilmington Savings Fund Society FSB | 48 | $558,500 | 75% | 10.00% |
| The Huntington National Bank | 36 | $180,000 | 50% | 10.50% |
| Northeast Bank | 34 | $75,000 | 15% | 10.75% |
| PNC Bank | 27 | $50,000 | 30% | 10.75% |
| BayFirst National Bank | 20 | $150,000 | 5% | 12.25% |
| Newtek Bank | 18 | $262,500 | 39% | 11.12% |
| Readycap Lending, LLC | 17 | $120,000 | 24% | 13.50% |
| Fulton Bank | 16 | $627,000 | 56% | 10.25% |
| Live Oak Banking Company | 15 | $500,000 | 47% | 9.50% |
What stands out about Delaware
Reading the state's own figures against the national picture:
- Loans here run smaller than average. The median of $100,000 is 33% below the $150,000 national median. Smaller loans price higher under the SBA spread caps, and the rate here does run above the national median — see below.
- New businesses do well here. 39.9% of these loans went to startups or businesses no more than two years old, against 33.6% nationally — an unusually open market if you have no trading history.
- Rates run higher here. The median initial rate of 10.75% is 0.50 points above the 10.25% national median. Most 7(a) lending is variable-rate, so treat this as a comparison between markets, not a quote.
Who borrows in Delaware
The industry mix of SBA borrowers here, led by construction.
| Sector | Loans | Share | Median loan | To startups |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Construction | 101 | 13.4% | $78,000 | 30% |
| Retail | 94 | 12.5% | $126,000 | 29% |
| Professional Services | 88 | 11.7% | $150,000 | 34% |
| Restaurants and Hotels | 88 | 11.7% | $245,000 | 58% |
| Personal Services | 85 | 11.3% | $87,500 | 40% |
| Healthcare | 52 | 6.9% | $100,000 | 52% |
| Admin Services | 52 | 6.9% | $65,000 | 35% |
| Trucking | 34 | 4.5% | $25,000 | 29% |
| Arts and Recreation | 33 | 4.4% | $173,000 | 58% |
| Manufacturing | 27 | 3.6% | $350,000 | 56% |
| Wholesale | 27 | 3.6% | $59,000 | 44% |
Where the money goes in Delaware
SBA lending is more concentrated than state totals suggest, and New Castle County alone accounts for 60% of the state's loans.
| County | Loans | Median loan | Total approved |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Castle County | 450 | $150,000 | $190.4 million |
| Sussex County | 178 | $67,500 | $57.6 million |
| Kent County | 126 | $78,000 | $35.8 million |
SBA 504 in Delaware
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 | Delaware 504 | National 504 |
|---|---|---|
| Projects approved | 16 | 22,192 |
| Median CDC share | $901,000 | $730,000 |
| Median total project | $1,963,250 | $1,642,000 |
| Median term | 25 years | 25 years |
- Which CDCs operate here, and on what terms: SBA 504 in Delaware
- 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 Delaware 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: Rhode Island, Montana, New Mexico, West Virginia, Arkansas, Hawaii, California, Florida
Questions people actually ask
How many SBA loans are approved in Delaware each year?
754 SBA 7(a) loans were approved to businesses in Delaware across fiscal years 2023 to 2026, using data released June 2026, worth $283.8 million in total. Over the most recent comparable months the number of approvals ran down 12.7% year on year, while the dollars approved ran up 23.0%.
Which bank approves the most SBA loans in Delaware?
Manufacturers and Traders Trust Company, with 264 loans approved to businesses in the state and a median loan of $45,000. 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 Delaware?
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.