Lending data
Who actually lends to arts and recreation businesses in Mississippi?
31 SBA 7(a) loans went to arts and recreation businesses in Mississippi recently, at a median of $350,000. Here are the lenders that made them, ranked.
31 SBA 7(a) loans went to arts and recreation businesses in Mississippi in the most recent fiscal years. The median was $350,000 over 128 months. The most active lender was Peoples Bank, with 4 loans.
What lending to arts and recreation businesses in Mississippi actually looks like
Every figure on this page is computed from SBA 7(a) loan-level FOIA data released 2026-06-30. It reflects loans that were actually approved, not rate cards or advertised ranges.
| Measure | Arts, entertainment, and recreation, Mississippi | All 7(a) borrowers |
|---|---|---|
| Loans approved | 31 | 214,102 |
| Median loan | $350,000 | $150,000 |
| 25th - 75th percentile | $125,000 - $730,000 | $50,000 - $500,000 |
| Median term | 128 months | 10 years |
| Median initial rate | 10.00% | 10.25% |
| Share to startups | 64.5% | 33.6% |
| Charge-off rate, FY2010-19 cohort | 10.1% | 7.1% |
Which lenders actually funded them
Ranked by loans approved to arts and recreation businesses in Mississippi. This is the list worth working from, because a lender that has funded dozens of businesses like yours in your state has seen your file before.
| Lender | Loans | Median loan | Startup share | Median rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Peoples Bank | 4 | $494,200 | 75% | 10.38% |
| American Bank | 3 | $485,000 | 67% | 10.50% |
| Community Bank of Mississippi | 3 | $325,000 | 67% | 8.50% |
| Trustmark Bank | 2 | $79,250 | 100% | 7.97% |
| The Huntington National Bank | 2 | $631,200 | 50% | 9.38% |
| Southern Bancorp Bank | 2 | $104,550 | 100% | 8.75% |
What stands out in this market
Reading the figures above against the national picture:
- Loans here run larger than average. The median of $350,000 is 133% 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.
- New businesses do well here. 64% of these loans went to startups or businesses under two years old, against 34% nationally — an unusually open market if you have no trading history.
- No single lender dominates, but the top three made 32% of these loans, so the shortlist below covers most of the active market.
- Lenders have been burned here before. 10.1% of loans to this market from the FY2010-2019 cohorts were charged off, against 7.1% overall. That history is why underwriting in this sector is tighter than the numbers alone would suggest — it is not personal.
Which of them lend to new businesses
Of those loans, 64.5% went to businesses the SBA classes as startups — new, under two years old, or opening with the proceeds. These are the lenders in this market that actually wrote them.
| Lender | Loans | Median loan | Startup share | Median rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Peoples Bank | 3 | $494,200 | 75% | 10.38% |
| Trustmark Bank | 2 | $79,250 | 100% | 7.97% |
| American Bank | 2 | $485,000 | 67% | 10.50% |
| Southern Bancorp Bank | 2 | $104,550 | 100% | 8.75% |
| Community Bank of Mississippi | 2 | $325,000 | 67% | 8.50% |
How to use this
- Shortlist three lenders from the table whose median loan is close to what you need.
- Ask each whether they are a Preferred Lender and how many 7(a) loans they closed last year. See choosing an SBA lender.
- Check your coverage first with the affordability calculator so you ask for a number the cash flow supports.
- Assemble the package before you call. The document checklist is the single biggest thing you control.
Compare other markets
- Other sectors in Mississippi: agriculture, restaurants and hotels, retail, healthcare, trucking, personal services
- Arts and Recreation in comparable states: West Virginia, Delaware, New Mexico, Arkansas, Montana, Rhode Island