Business LendingBureau

Local lending data

Who lends to businesses in St. Joseph County?

139 SBA 7(a) loans went to businesses in St. Joseph County recently, at a median of $150,000. The lenders that made them, ranked, with local rates and startup share.

Reviewed and updated · How we research this

Short answer

139 SBA 7(a) loans went to businesses in St. Joseph County in the most recent fiscal years, at a median of $150,000. The most active lender was 1st Source Bank, with 55 loans.

SBA lending in St. Joseph 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.

SBA 7(a) approvals, fiscal years 2023 to 2026, using data released June 2026. Charge-off rates use FY2010-FY2019 approvals only, because recent loans have not had time to season.
MeasureSt. Joseph CountyIndianaNational
Loans approved1393,944214,102
Median loan$150,000$150,000$150,000
25th - 75th percentile$50,000 - $350,000$50,000 - $401,975$50,000 - $500,000
Median term10 years10 years10 years
Median initial rate9.75%10.00%10.25%
Share to startups50.4%35.2%33.6%
Charge-off rate, FY2010-195.2%6.3%7.1%
Jobs supported1,23239,0412,142,602

Which lenders actually funded them

Ranked by loans approved to businesses in St. Joseph County. The median, startup share and rate columns describe each lender's own loans in this county, not its national averages.

SBA 7(a) lenders to businesses in St. Joseph County, fiscal years 2023 to 2026, using data released June 2026. Median loan, startup share, and median rate are that lender’s own loans in this market, not its national averages.
LenderLoansMedian loanStartup shareMedian rate
1st Source Bank55$62,00069%9.75%
Centier Bank15$143,60020%9.25%
The Huntington National Bank12$125,00033%10.00%
Horizon Bank7$50,00057%9.00%
Everwise Credit Union6$170,00050%10.25%
Inova Federal Credit Union4$86,00075%7.75%
KeyBank4$38,70075%11.49%
Celtic Bank Corporation3$150,00033%10.50%
Readycap Lending, LLC3$200,0000%13.50%
First State Bank of Middlebury2$775,0000%7.12%

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.
  • New businesses do well here. 50% 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.
  • One lender dominates. 1st Source Bank alone made 40% of these loans, and the top three made 59%. 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.
  • Rates run lower here. The median initial rate of 9.75% is 0.50 points below the 10.25% national median, which usually tracks loan size and perceived sector risk rather than geography.

Who borrows in St. Joseph County

The mix of industries taking SBA loans here, led by personal services.

What kinds of businesses borrowed here, by share of SBA 7(a) loans. Each links through to lender data for that sector across all of Indiana.
SectorLoansShare
Personal Services2518.0%
Construction1712.2%
Restaurants and Hotels1712.2%
Trucking139.4%
Healthcare117.9%
Retail117.9%
Manufacturing117.9%
Admin Services107.2%

How to use this

  1. Shortlist three lenders from the table whose median loan in this county is close to what you need. Size match matters more than brand.
  2. Ask each whether they are a Preferred Lender and how many 7(a) loans they closed last year — see choosing an SBA lender.
  3. Check your coverage first with the affordability calculator, so you ask for a number your cash flow supports.
  4. Follow your sector link in the table above for lender data specific to your industry across Indiana.

Other counties in Indiana