Business LendingBureau

Local lending data

Who lends to businesses in Washington County?

292 SBA 7(a) loans went to businesses in Washington 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

292 SBA 7(a) loans went to businesses in Washington County in the most recent fiscal years, at a median of $150,000. The most active lender was The Huntington National Bank, with 52 loans.

SBA lending in Washington 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.
MeasureWashington CountyMinnesotaNational
Loans approved2925,023214,102
Median loan$150,000$150,000$150,000
25th - 75th percentile$50,000 - $413,675$50,000 - $475,000$50,000 - $500,000
Median term10 years10 years10 years
Median initial rate9.50%9.50%10.25%
Share to startups46.2%37.1%33.6%
Charge-off rate, FY2010-195.1%5.3%7.1%
Jobs supported3,32457,6462,142,602

Which lenders actually funded them

Ranked by loans approved to businesses in Washington 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 Washington 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
The Huntington National Bank52$69,05056%10.00%
U.S. Bank42$42,75043%9.12%
First Resource Bank13$100,00023%10.00%
Wells Fargo Bank13$15,000100%13.00%
Hiawatha National Bank12$161,50058%9.50%
Bell Bank12$352,10025%10.00%
Choice Financial Group10$275,00040%8.80%
BankVista10$655,00030%8.88%
Platinum Bank9$850,00033%9.25%
Old National Bank9$1,211,00044%8.15%

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. 46% 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 37% of these loans, so the shortlist below covers most of the active market.
  • Rates run lower here. The median initial rate of 9.50% is 0.75 points below the 10.25% national median, which usually tracks loan size and perceived sector risk rather than geography.
  • This market has performed well. Its FY2010-2019 charge-off rate of 5.1% is below the 7.1% overall figure, which is part of why lenders compete for it.

Who borrows in Washington 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 Minnesota.
SectorLoansShare
Personal Services5117.5%
Construction4415.1%
Healthcare3311.3%
Restaurants and Hotels3010.3%
Professional Services268.9%
Arts and Recreation237.9%
Admin Services186.2%
Manufacturing175.8%

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 Minnesota.

Other counties in Minnesota