Local lending data
Who lends to businesses in Cherokee County?
216 SBA 7(a) loans went to businesses in Cherokee County recently, at a median of $272,500. The lenders that made them, ranked, with local rates and startup share.
216 SBA 7(a) loans went to businesses in Cherokee County in the most recent fiscal years, at a median of $272,500. The most active lender was The Huntington National Bank, with 19 loans.
SBA lending in Cherokee County, by the numbers
Every figure here is computed from SBA 7(a) loan-level FOIA data released 2026-06-30 — loans that were actually approved to businesses in this county, not advertised ranges.
| Measure | Cherokee County | Georgia | National |
|---|---|---|---|
| Loans approved | 216 | 6,105 | 214,102 |
| Median loan | $272,500 | $311,500 | $150,000 |
| 25th - 75th percentile | $100,500 - $597,250 | $120,000 - $720,000 | $50,000 - $500,000 |
| Median term | 10 years | 10 years | 10 years |
| Median initial rate | 10.25% | 10.25% | 10.25% |
| Share to startups | 44.0% | 40.1% | 33.6% |
| Charge-off rate, FY2010-19 | 8.9% | 7.6% | 7.1% |
| Jobs supported | 2,412 | 68,057 | 2,142,602 |
Which lenders actually funded them
Ranked by loans approved to businesses in Cherokee County. The median, startup share and rate columns describe each lender's own loans in this county, not its national averages.
| Lender | Loans | Median loan | Startup share | Median rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Huntington National Bank | 19 | $318,700 | 68% | 10.50% |
| Readycap Lending, LLC | 12 | $50,000 | 17% | 13.62% |
| JPMorgan Chase Bank | 11 | $200,000 | 0% | 9.65% |
| Newtek Bank | 11 | $175,000 | 64% | 10.50% |
| Wells Fargo Bank | 10 | $15,000 | 90% | 13.00% |
| Live Oak Banking Company | 8 | $433,250 | 25% | 10.24% |
| BayFirst National Bank | 7 | $114,000 | 14% | 11.75% |
| Citizens Bank | 6 | $482,350 | 67% | 9.12% |
| United Midwest Savings Bank | 6 | $150,000 | 100% | 10.75% |
| LGE Community CU | 6 | $336,350 | 67% | 9.88% |
What stands out here
Reading these figures against the national picture:
- Loans here run larger than average. The median of $272,500 is 82% 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. 44% 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.
- Lending here is fragmented. The top three lenders made only 19% of these loans between them, so no single institution owns this market. That is good news: it means shopping genuinely pays.
Who borrows in Cherokee County
The mix of industries taking SBA loans here, led by construction.
| Sector | Loans | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Construction | 38 | 17.6% |
| Restaurants and Hotels | 30 | 13.9% |
| Healthcare | 22 | 10.2% |
| Retail | 20 | 9.3% |
| Personal Services | 19 | 8.8% |
| Admin Services | 18 | 8.3% |
| Arts and Recreation | 16 | 7.4% |
| Professional Services | 14 | 6.5% |
How to use this
- Shortlist three lenders from the table whose median loan in this county is close to what you need. Size match matters more than brand.
- 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 your cash flow supports.
- Follow your sector link in the table above for lender data specific to your industry across Georgia.
Other counties in Georgia
- Nearby markets with published data: Fulton County, Gwinnett County, Cobb County, Dekalb County, Forsyth County, Chatham County, Henry County, Hall County