Local lending data
Who lends to businesses in Cook County?
3,580 SBA 7(a) loans went to businesses in Cook County recently, at a median of $150,000. The lenders that made them, ranked, with local rates and startup share.
3,580 SBA 7(a) loans went to businesses in Cook County in the most recent fiscal years, at a median of $150,000. The most active lender was The Huntington National Bank, with 1,156 loans.
SBA lending in Cook 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 | Cook County | Illinois | National |
|---|---|---|---|
| Loans approved | 3,580 | 7,427 | 214,102 |
| Median loan | $150,000 | $161,100 | $150,000 |
| 25th - 75th percentile | $50,000 - $478,975 | $60,000 - $500,000 | $50,000 - $500,000 |
| Median term | 10 years | 10 years | 10 years |
| Median initial rate | 10.25% | 10.10% | 10.25% |
| Share to startups | 27.3% | 29.2% | 33.6% |
| Charge-off rate, FY2010-19 | 9.3% | 8.8% | 7.1% |
| Jobs supported | 38,490 | 82,895 | 2,142,602 |
Which lenders actually funded them
Ranked by loans approved to businesses in Cook 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 | 1,156 | $75,000 | 31% | 10.25% |
| U.S. Bank | 279 | $42,000 | 34% | 9.92% |
| JPMorgan Chase Bank | 205 | $200,000 | 6% | 11.00% |
| Byline Bank | 145 | $840,000 | 39% | 10.50% |
| BayFirst National Bank | 128 | $150,000 | 1% | 12.62% |
| Northeast Bank | 121 | $125,000 | 6% | 10.75% |
| Readycap Lending, LLC | 117 | $50,000 | 11% | 13.50% |
| Newtek Bank | 115 | $200,000 | 16% | 11.50% |
| Village Bank and Trust | 71 | $373,900 | 32% | 8.50% |
| Lendistry SBLC, LLC | 65 | $221,000 | 2% | 12.00% |
What stands out here
Reading these figures against the national picture:
- Loan sizes are typical. The median of $150,000 is within a few percent of the $150,000 national median across all 7(a) borrowers, so nothing about this market is unusual on size.
- Startup share is about average, at 27% against 34% nationally.
- One lender dominates. The Huntington National Bank alone made 32% of these loans, and the top three made 46%. That concentration usually means a lender with a dedicated program for this sector — worth starting there, but get a second quote so you know the terms are competitive.
- Lenders have been burned here before. 9.3% 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 Cook County
The mix of industries taking SBA loans here, led by restaurants and hotels.
| Sector | Loans | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Restaurants and Hotels | 483 | 13.5% |
| Trucking | 461 | 12.9% |
| Construction | 431 | 12.0% |
| Personal Services | 369 | 10.3% |
| Professional Services | 358 | 10.0% |
| Healthcare | 339 | 9.5% |
| Retail | 309 | 8.6% |
| Manufacturing | 193 | 5.4% |
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 Illinois.
Other counties in Illinois
- Nearby markets with published data: Dupage County, Lake County, Will County, Kane County, McHenry County, Winnebago County, Sangamon County, Madison County