Local lending data
Who lends to businesses in Fayette County?
119 SBA 7(a) loans went to businesses in Fayette County recently, at a median of $264,000. The lenders that made them, ranked, with local rates and startup share.
119 SBA 7(a) loans went to businesses in Fayette County in the most recent fiscal years, at a median of $264,000. The most active lender was The Huntington National Bank, with 15 loans.
SBA lending in Fayette 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 | Fayette County | Georgia | National |
|---|---|---|---|
| Loans approved | 119 | 6,105 | 214,102 |
| Median loan | $264,000 | $311,500 | $150,000 |
| 25th - 75th percentile | $100,000 - $650,000 | $120,000 - $720,000 | $50,000 - $500,000 |
| Median term | 10 years | 10 years | 10 years |
| Median initial rate | 10.50% | 10.25% | 10.25% |
| Share to startups | 39.5% | 40.1% | 33.6% |
| Charge-off rate, FY2010-19 | 9.1% | 7.6% | 7.1% |
| Jobs supported | 1,899 | 68,057 | 2,142,602 |
Which lenders actually funded them
Ranked by loans approved to businesses in Fayette 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 | 15 | $250,000 | 60% | 10.75% |
| Readycap Lending, LLC | 10 | $50,000 | 30% | 13.38% |
| Newtek Bank | 10 | $150,000 | 20% | 11.50% |
| BayFirst National Bank | 8 | $150,000 | 0% | 12.75% |
| Metro City Bank | 6 | $735,000 | 67% | 8.50% |
| Celtic Bank Corporation | 5 | $150,000 | 0% | 10.50% |
| Northeast Bank | 5 | $70,900 | 0% | 10.25% |
| Regions Bank | 5 | $300,000 | 20% | 9.88% |
| Live Oak Banking Company | 4 | $2,040,000 | 25% | 8.75% |
| United Midwest Savings Bank | 4 | $125,000 | 75% | 10.75% |
What stands out here
Reading these figures against the national picture:
- Loans here run larger than average. The median of $264,000 is 76% 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 about average, at 40% against 34% nationally.
- No single lender dominates, but the top three made 29% of these loans, so the shortlist below covers most of the active market.
- Lenders have been burned here before. 9.1% 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.
Who borrows in Fayette County
The mix of industries taking SBA loans here, led by healthcare.
| Sector | Loans | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Healthcare | 20 | 16.8% |
| Construction | 17 | 14.3% |
| Restaurants and Hotels | 16 | 13.4% |
| Manufacturing | 11 | 9.2% |
| Personal Services | 11 | 9.2% |
| Admin Services | 10 | 8.4% |
| Retail | 10 | 8.4% |
| Professional Services | 9 | 7.6% |
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, Cherokee County, Chatham County, Henry County