Mississippi SBA lending, from federal loan records
SBA Lenders Actively Funding Businesses in Mississippi
Since FY2020, 135 lenders have funded 2,008 SBA loans worth $1.2B for businesses in Mississippi. Borrowers reported 21,086 jobs supported by those loans. Below is who actually writes them, how big they run, and which Mississippi businesses get funded.
Most active SBA lenders in Mississippi
Ranked by loans funded for Mississippi projects since FY2020, not by advertising budget. A lender headquartered elsewhere that funds heavily in Mississippi beats a local name that rarely writes SBA loans.
| Lender | Program | MS loans since FY2020 | Since FY2025 | Median loan | Median rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Peoples Bank | 7(a) | 352 | 45 | $121K | 7% |
| Community Bank of Mississippi | 7(a) | 197 | 35 | $234K | 6% |
| BankFirst Financial Services | 7(a) | 173 | 10 | $204K | 6% |
| Trustmark Bank | 7(a) | 144 | 31 | $121K | 6.15% |
| Covington County Bank | 7(a) | 89 | 7 | $59K | 6% |
| The Huntington National Bank | 7(a) | 74 | 25 | $332K | 9.5% |
| BankPlus | 7(a) | 68 | 13 | $546K | 6.17% |
| Live Oak Banking Company | 7(a) | 64 | 34 | $1.1M | 7.88% |
| First Financial Bank | 7(a) | 57 | 13 | $485K | 7.8% |
| Newtek Bank, National Association | 7(a) | 50 | 26 | $150K | 11.38% |
| Northeast Bank | 7(a) | 46 | 24 | $74K | 10.62% |
| Wells Fargo Bank National Association | 7(a) | 45 | 5 | $15K | 10% |
| Hancock Whitney Bank | 7(a) | 38 | 16 | $355K | 10.25% |
| Renasant Bank | 7(a) | 37 | 11 | $500K | 8.25% |
| The Citizens National Bank of Meridian | 7(a) | 37 | 34 | $150K | 9.5% |
| Readycap Lending, LLC | 7(a) | 36 | 13 | $50K | 14% |
| Southern Bancorp Bank | 7(a) | 33 | 20 | $985K | 7.75% |
| BayFirst National Bank | 7(a) | 31 | 0 | $150K | 11.75% |
| United Midwest Savings Bank National Association | 7(a) | 27 | 5 | $150K | 9.75% |
| Three Rivers Local Development Company, Inc. | 504 (CDC) | 24 | 8 | $1.1M | n/a |
| Celtic Bank Corporation | 7(a) | 21 | 6 | $150K | 8.75% |
| GBank | 7(a) | 18 | 8 | $2.0M | 8.25% |
| Regions Bank | 7(a) | 16 | 6 | $396K | 7.45% |
| Merchants & Marine Bank | 7(a) | 16 | 3 | $257K | 11% |
| First State Bank | 7(a) | 16 | 1 | $289K | 5.38% |
504 loans are written by Certified Development Companies alongside a bank first mortgage. The 504 file reports no interest rate, so CDC rows show none.
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Start your funding profile →How big Mississippi SBA loans run
Share of Mississippi 7(a) loans by approval size, next to the national split. If your ask sits in a common band, it is the kind of loan lenders here fund every week.
| 7(a) loan size | MS | US |
|---|---|---|
| Under $150K | 39.6% | 40.4% |
| $150K to $500K | 29.6% | 31.9% |
| $500K to $1M | 12.4% | 12.9% |
| $1M and up | 18.4% | 14.9% |
Who gets funded in Mississippi
Business age on Mississippi 7(a) loans. 14.7% funded a change of ownership, against 11.1% nationally. Buying a business? See the acquisition lender shortlist. Starting one? See startup-friendly lenders.
| Business stage | MS | US |
|---|---|---|
| Established, more than 2 years | 44.6% | 55.2% |
| New, 2 years or less | 16.1% | 16.9% |
| Startup, loan opens the business | 24.7% | 16.8% |
| Change of ownership (buying a business) | 14.7% | 11.1% |
Industries Mississippi SBA lenders fund most
Share of all Mississippi SBA loans by industry, and how that compares with the national mix.
| Industry | MS loans | Share | Compared with US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Agriculture | 373 | 18.6% | 18.6x the national share |
| Restaurants and hotels | 307 | 15.3% | 1.2x the national share |
| Retail | 233 | 11.6% | in line with national |
| Transportation and trucking | 187 | 9.3% | 1.7x the national share |
| Healthcare | 162 | 8.1% | 0.8x the national share |
| Construction | 138 | 6.9% | 0.6x the national share |
| Personal and repair services | 129 | 6.4% | 0.7x the national share |
| Business support services | 104 | 5.2% | in line with national |
The most common specific business types funded in Mississippi: broilers and other meat type chicken production (156), hotels (except casino hotels) and motels (97), full-service restaurants (95), general freight trucking, local (71), limited-service restaurants (64), general freight trucking, long-distance, truckload (59).
Where in Mississippi the loans go
| County | SBA loans since FY2020 | Share of state |
|---|---|---|
| Rankin | 160 | 8% |
| Covington | 154 | 8% |
| Madison | 144 | 7% |
| Hinds | 142 | 7% |
| Harrison | 131 | 7% |
| Desoto | 109 | 5% |
| Simpson | 90 | 4% |
| Smith | 73 | 4% |
7(a) or 504 in Mississippi
2% of Mississippi SBA loans are 504 loans, against 12% nationally. A 504 loan funds owner-occupied real estate or major equipment, with a median of $967K here. A 7(a) loan covers almost anything else, including working capital and buying a business. The busiest 504 lenders in Mississippi:
- Three Rivers Local Development Company, Inc.: 24 504 loans, median $1.1M
- Central Mississippi Development Company, Inc.: 13 504 loans, median $458K
Mississippi SBA lending by year
| Fiscal year | 7(a) loans | 504 loans | Dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | 267 | 6 | $149M |
| FY2021 | 334 | 6 | $202M |
| FY2022 | 266 | 4 | $127M |
| FY2023 | 314 | 7 | $219M |
| FY2024 | 314 | 9 | $172M |
| FY2025 | 277 | 8 | $189M |
| FY2026 (through June 30, 2026) | 192 | 4 | $174M |
The SBA fiscal year runs October through September.
Common questions
Who is the most active SBA lender in Mississippi?
By funded loans since FY2020, Peoples Bank leads Mississippi with 352 loans.
How big is a typical SBA loan in Mississippi?
The median 7(a) loan in Mississippi is $219K, and the middle half runs from $77K to $673K. The median 504 loan is $967K. Nationally the 7(a) median is $200K.
What interest rate do Mississippi SBA borrowers get?
The median starting rate on Mississippi 7(a) loans since FY2020 is 7.75%, against 9.25% nationally. 75% of those loans carry a variable rate, which moves with the prime rate.
Can a startup get an SBA loan in Mississippi?
Yes. 41% of Mississippi 7(a) loans with a reported business age went to startups or businesses two years old or younger, against 34% nationally. Lenders still expect a solid plan, owner equity and usually collateral.
Sources and limits. Derived from U.S. Small Business Administration 7(a) and 504 FOIA loan-level records, FY2020 through June 30, 2026, for projects located in Mississippi. Cancelled approvals are excluded. Jobs supported are as reported by borrowers. Figures describe past lending activity only and are not offers, quotes, or qualification decisions. Big Brain Funding is not a lender and is not affiliated with any lender listed.