State lending data
SBA lending in Idaho
2,178 SBA 7(a) loans went to businesses in Idaho recently, at a median of $125,000. The lenders that made them, what they charged, and how the state is trending.
2,178 SBA 7(a) loans went to businesses in Idaho in the most recent fiscal years, at a median of $125,000. The most active lender in the state was Zions Bank, with 384 loans. Approvals are down 19.3% on the year.
SBA lending in Idaho, 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 Idaho, not advertised ranges.
| Measure | Idaho | National |
|---|---|---|
| Loans approved | 2,178 | 214,102 |
| Total approved | $821.0 million | $104.1 billion |
| Median loan | $125,000 | $150,000 |
| 25th – 75th percentile | $50,000 – $350,000 | $50,000 – $500,000 |
| Median term | 10 years | 10 years |
| Median initial rate | 10.00% | 10.25% |
| Share to startups | 39.2% | 33.6% |
| Charge-off rate, FY2010–19 | 3.9% | 7.1% |
| Jobs supported | 18,365 | 2,142,602 |
| Counties with recorded lending | 43 | — |
| Lenders active in the state | 111 | — |
Is SBA lending in Idaho 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 Idaho went from 466 to 376 loans, down 19.3% — while the dollars approved went from $155.9 million to $148.9 million, down 4.5%. The average approval rose from $334,614 to $395,943, so the change is weighted toward larger loans.
That puts Idaho mid-table — 26th of 51 for year-on-year change, against a national decline of 21.0%.
| Fiscal year | Loans in Idaho | Loans nationally | State share |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY2023 | 420 | 51,747 | 0.8% |
| FY2024 | 593 | 62,618 | 0.9% |
| FY2025 | 738 | 64,096 | 1.2% |
| FY2026 (part year) | 427 | 35,641 | 1.2% |
Which lenders actually fund businesses in Idaho
Ranked by loans approved inside Idaho. The median, startup share and rate columns describe each lender's own Idaho 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zions Bank | 384 | $100,000 | 39% | 10.00% |
| Idaho Central CU | 207 | $280,000 | 48% | 10.00% |
| U.S. Bank | 180 | $41,500 | 33% | 9.99% |
| Columbia Bank | 170 | $50,000 | 12% | 12.50% |
| Glacier Bank | 133 | $90,000 | 56% | 9.75% |
| D. L. Evans Bank | 88 | $100,000 | 11% | 9.50% |
| The Huntington National Bank | 78 | $263,750 | 63% | 10.25% |
| Mountain America FCU | 78 | $50,000 | 50% | 10.38% |
| Wells Fargo Bank | 57 | $20,000 | 91% | 12.75% |
| Washington Trust Bank | 49 | $250,000 | 45% | 9.00% |
| The Bank of Commerce | 45 | $150,000 | 38% | 8.95% |
| Banner Bank | 42 | $77,500 | 19% | 9.25% |
What stands out about Idaho
Reading the state's own figures against the national picture:
- Loans here run smaller than average. The median of $125,000 is 17% below the $150,000 national median. Smaller loans usually price higher under the SBA spread caps, though that has not happened here: the median rate in this market is 10.00% against 10.25% nationally.
- New businesses do well here. 39.2% 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.
- Past loss rates here are below average. The FY2010–2019 charge-off rate for this market was 3.9%, against 7.1% overall. That is a record of an older cohort, not a forecast.
Who borrows in Idaho
The industry mix of SBA borrowers here, led by construction.
| Sector | Loans | Share | Median loan | To startups |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Construction | 450 | 20.7% | $100,000 | 33% |
| Retail | 231 | 10.6% | $150,000 | 37% |
| Healthcare | 224 | 10.3% | $147,350 | 47% |
| Restaurants and Hotels | 205 | 9.4% | $172,800 | 57% |
| Personal Services | 198 | 9.1% | $112,650 | 39% |
| Professional Services | 158 | 7.3% | $125,000 | 23% |
| Manufacturing | 151 | 6.9% | $185,000 | 32% |
| Admin Services | 138 | 6.3% | $128,000 | 39% |
| Trucking | 89 | 4.1% | $97,800 | 34% |
| Arts and Recreation | 76 | 3.5% | $186,350 | 75% |
| Real Estate | 59 | 2.7% | $106,000 | 59% |
| Wholesale | 59 | 2.7% | $130,000 | 25% |
Where the money goes in Idaho
SBA lending is more concentrated than state totals suggest, and Ada County alone accounts for 34% of the state's loans.
| County | Loans | Median loan | Total approved |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ada County | 735 | $150,000 | $321.8 million |
| Canyon County | 232 | $100,000 | $98.3 million |
| Kootenai County | 224 | $150,000 | $106.0 million |
| Bonneville County | 169 | $120,000 | $50.0 million |
| Bonner County | 87 | $50,000 | $17.0 million |
| Bannock County | 77 | $111,300 | $20.2 million |
| Bingham County | 61 | $85,000 | $12.0 million |
| Twin Falls County | 57 | $150,000 | $19.0 million |
| Blaine County | 55 | $150,000 | $26.7 million |
| Jefferson County | 39 | $99,000 | $6.0 million |
| Madison County | 37 | $100,000 | $14.6 million |
| Payette County | 36 | $50,000 | $4.6 million |
SBA 504 in Idaho
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 | Idaho 504 | National 504 |
|---|---|---|
| Projects approved | 304 | 22,192 |
| Median CDC share | $549,000 | $730,000 |
| Median total project | $1,254,000 | $1,642,000 |
| Median term | 25 years | 25 years |
- Which CDCs operate here, and on what terms: SBA 504 in Idaho
- 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 Idaho 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: Nevada, New Hampshire, South Carolina, Kentucky, Tennessee, Louisiana, California, Florida
Questions people actually ask
How many SBA loans are approved in Idaho each year?
2,178 SBA 7(a) loans were approved to businesses in Idaho across fiscal years 2023 to 2026, using data released June 2026, worth $821.0 million in total. Over the most recent comparable months the number of approvals ran down 19.3% year on year, while the dollars approved ran down 4.5%.
Which bank approves the most SBA loans in Idaho?
Zions Bank, with 384 loans approved to businesses in the state and a median loan of $100,000. 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 Idaho?
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.