SBA loans by state
SBA loans in District of Columbia: 161 approvals in FY 2026, median $200,000
Only 1% of the loans came from lenders based in District of Columbia. The state stood out for loans to beer, wine, and liquor retailers.
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District of Columbia: 7(a) loans approved last year
161
| Your rate vs. last year’s loans of this size, all states | about the median for this size |
| District of Columbia: median rate at approval, $50,001 to $250,000 | 9.75% |
| District of Columbia: median 7(a) loan last year | $200,000 |
| Payment over 10 years, SBA fee added to the loan | $2,702/mo |
Last year’s loans: the 7(a) loans SBA approved from October 1, 2025 to September 30, 2026 (fiscal year 2026), in SBA’s public loan file of September 30, 2026. Rates at approval were set when prime was 6.75% or 7.00%; today: prime rate 7.00% on November 2, 2026. Your rate is compared on its margin over prime, so the change in prime since last year does not count against you.
District of Columbia, FY 2026: 161 SBA 7(a) approvals for $80.5 million (44th of the 50 states and DC, SBA file of September 30, 2026). Only 1% of the loans came from lenders based in District of Columbia. The state stood out for loans to beer, wine, and liquor retailers. 504 lending was light, 5 approvals. M&T Bank alone made 24% of the loans. Few loans ran past 15 years: 6%. 45 lenders were active, a wide field for the volume. 23% of approvals were later cancelled. Only 12% of loans went to businesses under two years old. Business purchases were rare, 11% of loans. Variable rates dominated: only 9% of loans were fixed. 42% of loans went through SBA Express. Today’s cap on a $200,000 variable loan: 13.00%.
Fee notices read and loan file counted by Radif Partners · Editorial policy · Method and sources
| Lender | FY 2026 loans | Median loan | Median variable rate | Lender’s home state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| M&T Bank | 38 | $70,000 | 9.75% | New York |
| Newtek Bank | 21 | $225,000 | 9.75% | Florida |
| Northeast Bank | 10 | $98,100 | 9.75% | Maine |
| TD Bank | 10 | $33,500 | n/a | Delaware |
| Hanmi Bank | 6 | $780,000 | n/a | California |
Almost no in-state SBA lending
Home-state lenders made just 1% of District of Columbia’s loans, 2nd lowest among the 50 states and DC. A borrower here usually ends up with M&T Bank and Newtek Bank, dealing by phone and online rather than at a branch.
More common here than nationally: beer, wine, and liquor retailers
11 District of Columbia loans went to beer, wine, and liquor retailers, 7.3 times the national share for that trade. The most frequent trades overall were beer, wine, and liquor retailers, administrative management and general management consulting services and child care services. Shops and service outlets are often bought as going concerns or franchise units, with loans small enough that the variable cap may reach prime plus 6 points.
Hardly any 504 loans
Only 5 504 debentures went to District of Columbia projects against 161 7(a) loans, a ratio 5th lowest among the 50 states and DC. The CDC most present was Business Finance Group, Inc.. For a building, the 504 route is still open and worth pricing against a 7(a) real estate loan.
One lender stands out: M&T Bank
M&T Bank made 24% of District of Columbia’s approvals by itself, 38 loans with a median of $70,000 and a median variable rate of 9.75%. Across all its loans nationally, 29% of its variable loans were at the SBA cap.
| Loan size | Loans | Median variable rate, FY 2026 | SBA maximum today |
|---|---|---|---|
| $50,000 or less | 27 | 11.40% | 13.50% |
| $50,001 to $250,000 | 68 | 9.75% | 13.00% |
| $250,001 to $350,000 | 19 | 9.75% | 11.50% |
| over $350,000 | 47 | 9.00% | 10.00% |
Short terms dominate
Only 6% of District of Columbia’s loans ran 15 years or more (13% nationally); the median term was 10 years. Loans under 15 years can be repaid early with no SBA fee.
More lenders per loan than most states
45 lenders made District of Columbia’s 161 loans. For that many loans, its number of lenders is the 5th highest among the 50 states and DC. Shopping the same project to three or four of them is realistic here.
Many approvals cancelled
37 of District of Columbia’s approvals, 23%, were later cancelled (14% nationally). A cancelled loan was approved but not carried through, for example when the borrower chose other financing or the deal fell through.
Seasoned borrowers
Firms under two years old took only 12% of District of Columbia’s approvals, 7th lowest among the 50 states and DC; the market here is built on businesses with several years of tax returns.
Counties with the most approvals: District Of Columbia (161). Trades: beer, wine, and liquor retailers (11), administrative management and general management consulting services (9), child care services (8), limited-service restaurants (8) and offices of lawyers (7).
All states compared.