State lending data
SBA lending in New Hampshire
1,743 SBA 7(a) loans went to businesses in New Hampshire recently, at a median of $90,000. The lenders that made them, what they charged, and how the state is trending.
1,743 SBA 7(a) loans went to businesses in New Hampshire in the most recent fiscal years, at a median of $90,000. The most active lender in the state was TD Bank, with 451 loans. Approvals are down 16.9% on the year.
SBA lending in New Hampshire, 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 New Hampshire, not advertised ranges.
| Measure | New Hampshire | National |
|---|---|---|
| Loans approved | 1,743 | 214,102 |
| Total approved | $486.4 million | $104.1 billion |
| Median loan | $90,000 | $150,000 |
| 25th – 75th percentile | $39,700 – $222,000 | $50,000 – $500,000 |
| Median term | 10 years | 10 years |
| Median initial rate | 10.00% | 10.25% |
| Share to startups | 30.1% | 33.6% |
| Charge-off rate, FY2010–19 | 5.3% | 7.1% |
| Jobs supported | 12,524 | 2,142,602 |
| Counties with recorded lending | 10 | — |
| Lenders active in the state | 102 | — |
Is SBA lending in New Hampshire 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 New Hampshire went from 350 to 291 loans, down 16.9% — while the dollars approved went from $113.5 million to $94.6 million, down 16.7%.
That puts New Hampshire mid-table — 18th of 51 for year-on-year change, against a national decline of 21.0%.
| Fiscal year | Loans in New Hampshire | Loans nationally | State share |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY2023 | 367 | 51,747 | 0.7% |
| FY2024 | 531 | 62,618 | 0.8% |
| FY2025 | 519 | 64,096 | 0.8% |
| FY2026 (part year) | 326 | 35,641 | 0.9% |
Which lenders actually fund businesses in New Hampshire
Ranked by loans approved inside New Hampshire. The median, startup share and rate columns describe each lender's own New Hampshire 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TD Bank | 451 | $50,000 | 32% | 11.00% |
| Manufacturers and Traders Trust Company | 127 | $50,000 | 46% | 11.50% |
| Meredith Village Savings Bank | 105 | $60,000 | 4% | 10.50% |
| Eastern Bank | 74 | $100,000 | 15% | 9.50% |
| Merrimack County Savings Bank | 64 | $90,600 | 36% | 8.62% |
| St. Mary's Bank | 61 | $100,000 | 12% | 8.50% |
| Camden National Bank | 60 | $36,000 | 13% | 9.88% |
| Rockland Trust Company | 59 | $200,000 | 22% | 7.25% |
| Bangor Savings Bank | 53 | $150,000 | 57% | 8.62% |
| Bar Harbor Bank & Trust | 44 | $69,850 | 39% | 8.25% |
| Service FCU | 42 | $39,850 | 21% | 7.74% |
| Live Oak Banking Company | 38 | $500,000 | 32% | 9.30% |
What stands out about New Hampshire
Reading the state's own figures against the national picture:
- Loans here run smaller than average. The median of $90,000 is 40% 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.
- Startup share is close to average, at 30.1% against 33.6% nationally.
Who borrows in New Hampshire
The industry mix of SBA borrowers here, led by construction.
| Sector | Loans | Share | Median loan | To startups |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Construction | 378 | 21.7% | $75,250 | 22% |
| Restaurants and Hotels | 197 | 11.3% | $100,000 | 40% |
| Personal Services | 176 | 10.1% | $61,000 | 32% |
| Retail | 175 | 10.0% | $75,000 | 30% |
| Admin Services | 168 | 9.6% | $75,000 | 23% |
| Professional Services | 138 | 7.9% | $81,000 | 31% |
| Healthcare | 118 | 6.8% | $100,000 | 43% |
| Manufacturing | 117 | 6.7% | $144,000 | 24% |
| Trucking | 54 | 3.1% | $59,350 | 33% |
| Arts and Recreation | 54 | 3.1% | $151,500 | 57% |
| Wholesale | 48 | 2.8% | $150,000 | 17% |
| Real Estate | 36 | 2.1% | $100,000 | 44% |
Where the money goes in New Hampshire
SBA lending is more concentrated than state totals suggest, and Rockingham County alone accounts for 29% of the state's loans.
| County | Loans | Median loan | Total approved |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rockingham County | 498 | $100,000 | $148.4 million |
| Hillsborough County | 473 | $100,000 | $144.4 million |
| Merrimack County | 185 | $75,000 | $43.0 million |
| Strafford County | 156 | $75,000 | $40.8 million |
| Belknap County | 111 | $60,000 | $25.5 million |
| Carroll County | 101 | $60,000 | $20.2 million |
| Grafton County | 100 | $80,000 | $31.4 million |
| Cheshire County | 78 | $80,000 | $16.8 million |
SBA 504 in New Hampshire
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 | New Hampshire 504 | National 504 |
|---|---|---|
| Projects approved | 245 | 22,192 |
| Median CDC share | $342,000 | $730,000 |
| Median total project | $795,000 | $1,642,000 |
| Median term | 25 years | 25 years |
- Which CDCs operate here, and on what terms: SBA 504 in New Hampshire
- 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 New Hampshire 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: Idaho, Kentucky, Nevada, Louisiana, South Carolina, Oklahoma, California, Florida
Questions people actually ask
How many SBA loans are approved in New Hampshire each year?
1,743 SBA 7(a) loans were approved to businesses in New Hampshire across fiscal years 2023 to 2026, using data released June 2026, worth $486.4 million in total. Over the most recent comparable months the number of approvals ran down 16.9% year on year, while the dollars approved ran down 16.7%.
Which bank approves the most SBA loans in New Hampshire?
TD Bank, with 451 loans approved to businesses in the state and a median loan of $50,000. 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 New Hampshire?
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.