Local lending data
Who lends to businesses in Essex County?
612 SBA 7(a) loans went to businesses in Essex County recently, at a median of $150,000. The lenders that made them, ranked, with local rates and startup share.
612 SBA 7(a) loans went to businesses in Essex County in the most recent fiscal years, at a median of $150,000. The most active lender was TD Bank, with 121 loans.
SBA lending in Essex 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 | Essex County | New Jersey | National |
|---|---|---|---|
| Loans approved | 612 | 7,691 | 214,102 |
| Median loan | $150,000 | $150,000 | $150,000 |
| 25th - 75th percentile | $50,000 - $350,000 | $50,000 - $425,000 | $50,000 - $500,000 |
| Median term | 10 years | 10 years | 10 years |
| Median initial rate | 10.79% | 10.75% | 10.25% |
| Share to startups | 30.4% | 31.1% | 33.6% |
| Charge-off rate, FY2010-19 | 9.0% | 8.9% | 7.1% |
| Jobs supported | 5,336 | 65,861 | 2,142,602 |
Which lenders actually funded them
Ranked by loans approved to businesses in Essex 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TD Bank | 121 | $50,000 | 31% | 11.50% |
| Manufacturers and Traders Trust Company | 86 | $50,000 | 34% | 12.00% |
| The Huntington National Bank | 39 | $319,000 | 46% | 10.50% |
| Newtek Bank | 31 | $150,000 | 26% | 10.75% |
| Live Oak Banking Company | 29 | $500,000 | 17% | 9.00% |
| JPMorgan Chase Bank | 27 | $212,600 | 4% | 12.30% |
| Readycap Lending, LLC | 27 | $350,000 | 7% | 11.25% |
| BayFirst National Bank | 24 | $150,000 | 0% | 12.38% |
| Wells Fargo Bank | 19 | $15,000 | 84% | 12.50% |
| Northeast Bank | 19 | $139,300 | 5% | 10.50% |
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 30% against 34% nationally.
- No single lender dominates, but the top three made 40% of these loans, so the shortlist below covers most of the active market.
- Rates run higher here. The median initial rate of 10.79% is 0.54 points above the 10.25% national median, which usually tracks loan size and perceived sector risk rather than geography.
Who borrows in Essex County
The mix of industries taking SBA loans here, led by professional services.
| Sector | Loans | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Professional Services | 81 | 13.2% |
| Restaurants and Hotels | 75 | 12.3% |
| Construction | 73 | 11.9% |
| Personal Services | 70 | 11.4% |
| Healthcare | 62 | 10.1% |
| Retail | 56 | 9.2% |
| Trucking | 51 | 8.3% |
| Admin Services | 34 | 5.6% |
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 New Jersey.
Other counties in New Jersey
- Nearby markets with published data: Bergen County, Ocean County, Middlesex County, Monmouth County, Union County, Hudson County, Morris County, Passaic County