Local lending data
Who lends to businesses in Hidalgo County?
261 SBA 7(a) loans went to businesses in Hidalgo County recently, at a median of $150,000. The lenders that made them, ranked, with local rates and startup share.
261 SBA 7(a) loans went to businesses in Hidalgo County in the most recent fiscal years, at a median of $150,000. The most active lender was PlainsCapital Bank, with 43 loans.
SBA lending in Hidalgo 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 | Hidalgo County | Texas | National |
|---|---|---|---|
| Loans approved | 261 | 16,423 | 214,102 |
| Median loan | $150,000 | $292,000 | $150,000 |
| 25th - 75th percentile | $60,000 - $350,000 | $115,000 - $721,000 | $50,000 - $500,000 |
| Median term | 10 years | 10 years | 10 years |
| Median initial rate | 10.50% | 10.25% | 10.25% |
| Share to startups | 38.7% | 41.0% | 33.6% |
| Charge-off rate, FY2010-19 | 9.9% | 9.2% | 7.1% |
| Jobs supported | 3,564 | 201,805 | 2,142,602 |
Which lenders actually funded them
Ranked by loans approved to businesses in Hidalgo 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PlainsCapital Bank | 43 | $100,000 | 30% | 11.00% |
| Lone Star National Bank | 37 | $80,000 | 68% | 9.25% |
| Readycap Lending, LLC | 18 | $50,000 | 17% | 14.50% |
| Greater State Bank | 17 | $242,000 | 47% | 9.25% |
| Newtek Bank | 14 | $375,000 | 14% | 11.12% |
| The Huntington National Bank | 13 | $275,000 | 31% | 11.00% |
| Wells Fargo Bank | 13 | $20,000 | 77% | 14.00% |
| Northeast Bank | 10 | $57,600 | 10% | 10.50% |
| JPMorgan Chase Bank | 9 | $250,000 | 0% | 11.50% |
| BayFirst National Bank | 9 | $150,000 | 0% | 13.25% |
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 39% against 34% nationally.
- No single lender dominates, but the top three made 38% of these loans, so the shortlist below covers most of the active market.
- Lenders have been burned here before. 9.9% 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 Hidalgo County
The mix of industries taking SBA loans here, led by healthcare.
| Sector | Loans | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Healthcare | 40 | 15.3% |
| Restaurants and Hotels | 32 | 12.3% |
| Retail | 30 | 11.5% |
| Trucking | 27 | 10.3% |
| Professional Services | 27 | 10.3% |
| Construction | 22 | 8.4% |
| Wholesale | 16 | 6.1% |
| Personal Services | 15 | 5.7% |
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 Texas.
Other counties in Texas
- Nearby markets with published data: Harris County, Dallas County, Tarrant County, Collin County, Travis County, Bexar County, Denton County, Fort Bend County