SBA loans by state
SBA loans in Idaho: 648 approvals in FY 2026, median $150,000
Only 4% of variable loans sat at the SBA maximum. Credit unions made 15% of loans.
Independent site, not a lender and not affiliated with the U.S. Small Business Administration. Loans are applied for only with an SBA lender.
Your loan against approvals in your state
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Idaho: 7(a) loans approved last year
648
| Your rate vs. last year’s loans of this size, all states | about the median for this size |
| Idaho: median rate at approval, $50,001 to $250,000 | 9.25% |
| Idaho: median 7(a) loan last year | $150,000 |
| Payment over 10 years, SBA fee added to the loan | $2,016/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.
Idaho, FY 2026: 648 SBA 7(a) approvals for $283.4 million (27th of the 50 states and DC, SBA file of September 30, 2026). Only 4% of variable loans sat at the SBA maximum. Credit unions made 15% of loans. Mid-size loans had a median rate of 9.25%, below the national 9.75%. Business purchases were rare, 9% of loans. Lenders kept most loans on their books. Loans were small: the median was $150,000, against $220,000 nationally. The state stood out for loans to new single-family housing construction. 45% of loans went through SBA Express. 35% of approvals were revolving lines of credit. Franchises took only 9% of loans. Few loans ran past 15 years: 9%. Few approvals were cancelled, 9%. Today’s cap on a $150,000 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zions Bancorporation | 121 | $100,000 | 9.00% | Utah |
| Idaho Central CU | 77 | $274,500 | 9.25% | Idaho (in-state) |
| U.S. Bank | 65 | $50,000 | 10.49% | Ohio |
| Columbia Bank | 58 | $50,000 | 11.75% | Oregon |
| WaFd Bank | 30 | $34,500 | 11.31% | Washington |
Almost nobody pays the maximum
Just 4% of Idaho’s variable loans were at the SBA ceiling, 3rd lowest among the 50 states and DC. Lenders here compete below the cap, so the median for your loan size, in the table above, is the better benchmark.
Credit unions take part
Credit unions made 15% of Idaho’s SBA loans, against 3% nationally. A member business can ask its credit union first; the SBA rules and caps are the same.
Mid-size loans priced below average
On loans of $50,001 to $250,000, the median variable rate in Idaho was 9.25%, against 9.75% nationally. A Idaho quote above the national median for that size has room to come down.
Few business purchases
Only 9% of Idaho’s approvals financed a change of ownership (13% nationally). Most of the money went to owners expanding, equipping or adding working capital to a business they already run.
| Loan size | Loans | Median variable rate, FY 2026 | SBA maximum today |
|---|---|---|---|
| $50,000 or less | 194 | 11.62% | 13.50% |
| $50,001 to $250,000 | 214 | 9.25% | 13.00% |
| $250,001 to $350,000 | 72 | 9.38% | 11.50% |
| over $350,000 | 168 | 8.75% | 10.00% |
Lenders keep their loans
Only 11% of Idaho’s loans had their guaranteed part sold on the secondary market (23% nationally); most lenders here hold what they make.
Smaller loans, higher allowed margins
Half of Idaho’s approvals were for $150,000 or less, 14th smallest of the 50 states and DC ($220,000 nationally). SBA guarantees 85% of a loan that size and the fee is $2,550, but the variable rate may go up to prime plus 6.0 points, 13.00% today.
More common here than nationally: new single-family housing construction
13 Idaho loans went to new single-family housing construction, 2.8 times the national share for that trade. The most frequent trades overall were landscaping services, fitness and recreational sports centers and full-service restaurants. Contractors borrow for trucks, tools and working capital more than for property, so their loans stay near 10 years and the margin steps for smaller loans matter most to them.
SBA Express carries much of the volume
45% of Idaho’s approvals were SBA Express loans (34% nationally). Express stops at $500,000, carries a 50% guaranty and lets the lender decide on its own forms; the fee is charged on that smaller guaranteed part.
Counties with the most approvals: Ada (220), Kootenai (74) and Canyon (68). Trades: landscaping services (24), fitness and recreational sports centers (21), full-service restaurants (20), all other specialty trade contractors (19) and snack and nonalcoholic beverage bars (17).
All states compared.