State lending data
SBA lending in Montana
667 SBA 7(a) loans went to businesses in Montana recently, at a median of $180,000. The lenders that made them, what they charged, and how the state is trending.
667 SBA 7(a) loans went to businesses in Montana in the most recent fiscal years, at a median of $180,000. The most active lender in the state was Glacier Bank, with 58 loans. Approvals are down 25.0% on the year.
SBA lending in Montana, 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 Montana, not advertised ranges.
| Measure | Montana | National |
|---|---|---|
| Loans approved | 667 | 214,102 |
| Total approved | $351.0 million | $104.1 billion |
| Median loan | $180,000 | $150,000 |
| 25th – 75th percentile | $50,000 – $500,000 | $50,000 – $500,000 |
| Median term | 10 years | 10 years |
| Median initial rate | 10.00% | 10.25% |
| Share to startups | 37.9% | 33.6% |
| Charge-off rate, FY2010–19 | 3.8% | 7.1% |
| Jobs supported | 6,357 | 2,142,602 |
| Counties with recorded lending | 40 | — |
| Lenders active in the state | 94 | — |
Is SBA lending in Montana growing or shrinking?
Fewer, larger loans. The number of approvals fell while the total dollars approved rose, so what shrank in Montana 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 Montana went from 132 to 99 loans, down 25.0% — while the dollars approved went from $59.3 million to $74.4 million, up 25.4%. The average approval rose from $449,108 to $751,081, so the change is weighted toward larger loans.
That puts Montana mid-table — 39th of 51 for year-on-year change, against a national decline of 21.0%.
| Fiscal year | Loans in Montana | Loans nationally | State share |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY2023 | 140 | 51,747 | 0.3% |
| FY2024 | 197 | 62,618 | 0.3% |
| FY2025 | 217 | 64,096 | 0.3% |
| FY2026 (part year) | 113 | 35,641 | 0.3% |
Which lenders actually fund businesses in Montana
Ranked by loans approved inside Montana. The median, startup share and rate columns describe each lender's own Montana 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Glacier Bank | 58 | $180,000 | 53% | 8.00% |
| U.S. Bank | 55 | $30,000 | 49% | 10.49% |
| Wells Fargo Bank | 39 | $15,000 | 97% | 13.00% |
| First Interstate Bank | 39 | $60,000 | 46% | 9.50% |
| The Yellowstone Bank | 35 | $200,000 | 17% | 8.95% |
| Readycap Lending, LLC | 34 | $211,750 | 15% | 11.25% |
| Montana Community Development Corp | 26 | $106,600 | 69% | 11.25% |
| Newtek Bank | 23 | $250,000 | 17% | 11.25% |
| Northeast Bank | 23 | $100,000 | 13% | 10.50% |
| BayFirst National Bank | 19 | $150,000 | 0% | 12.50% |
| Live Oak Banking Company | 18 | $441,000 | 33% | 9.99% |
| Bravera Bank | 17 | $165,000 | 53% | 9.00% |
What stands out about Montana
Reading the state's own figures against the national picture:
- Loans here run larger than average. The median of $180,000 is 20% 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 37.9% against 33.6% nationally.
- Past loss rates here are below average. The FY2010–2019 charge-off rate for this market was 3.8%, against 7.1% overall. That is a record of an older cohort, not a forecast.
Who borrows in Montana
The industry mix of SBA borrowers here, led by construction.
| Sector | Loans | Share | Median loan | To startups |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Construction | 104 | 15.6% | $120,000 | 38% |
| Retail | 100 | 15.0% | $287,750 | 30% |
| Restaurants and Hotels | 92 | 13.8% | $390,750 | 35% |
| Personal Services | 64 | 9.6% | $150,000 | 30% |
| Professional Services | 59 | 8.8% | $150,000 | 42% |
| Healthcare | 48 | 7.2% | $146,750 | 42% |
| Admin Services | 44 | 6.6% | $150,000 | 39% |
| Manufacturing | 39 | 5.8% | $210,000 | 38% |
| Arts and Recreation | 27 | 4.0% | $110,000 | 70% |
| Real Estate | 21 | 3.1% | $405,000 | 33% |
Where the money goes in Montana
SBA lending is more concentrated than state totals suggest, and Gallatin County alone accounts for 18% of the state's loans.
| County | Loans | Median loan | Total approved |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gallatin County | 122 | $227,500 | $68.8 million |
| Yellowstone County | 120 | $236,800 | $63.6 million |
| Flathead County | 102 | $150,000 | $55.8 million |
| Missoula County | 61 | $141,500 | $20.7 million |
| Lewis and Clark County | 56 | $267,500 | $34.7 million |
| Cascade County | 42 | $147,000 | $12.4 million |
| Ravalli County | 32 | $112,000 | $16.5 million |
SBA 504 in Montana
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 | Montana 504 | National 504 |
|---|---|---|
| Projects approved | 154 | 22,192 |
| Median CDC share | $504,000 | $730,000 |
| Median total project | $1,171,250 | $1,642,000 |
| Median term | 25 years | 25 years |
- Which CDCs operate here, and on what terms: SBA 504 in Montana
- 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 Montana 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: Delaware, West Virginia, Rhode Island, Hawaii, New Mexico, Vermont, California, Florida
Questions people actually ask
How many SBA loans are approved in Montana each year?
667 SBA 7(a) loans were approved to businesses in Montana across fiscal years 2023 to 2026, using data released June 2026, worth $351.0 million in total. Over the most recent comparable months the number of approvals ran down 25.0% year on year, while the dollars approved ran up 25.4%.
Which bank approves the most SBA loans in Montana?
Glacier Bank, with 58 loans approved to businesses in the state and a median loan of $180,000. 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 Montana?
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.