Census BFS · SBA 7(a) & 504 · Census Nonemployer Statistics
New businesses and the money behind them
How many people file to start a business here each year, and how much SBA-backed credit reaches local small businesses. SBA 504 loans finance owner-occupied commercial buildings, so they're a direct read on small-business real estate demand.
New business applications
IRS employer ID filings · Census BFS
| County | 2025 | 2024 | Change | vs 2019 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Benton | 4,798 | 4,554 | +5.4% | +78.8% |
| Washington | 3,523 | 3,230 | +9.1% | +46.4% |
| Carroll | 404 | 394 | +2.5% | +15.4% |
| Madison | 197 | 207 | -4.8% | +95.0% |
U.S. Census Bureau, Business Formation Statistics · as of Oct 20, 2026
SBA small-business loans
7(a) and 504 approvals · 4 counties
Top 7(a) lenders, FY2020 on
| Lender | Loans | Dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Arvest Bank | 134 | $33.0M |
| Southern Bancorp Bank | 22 | $29.6M |
| First Financial Bank | 17 | $23.5M |
| Live Oak Banking Company | 12 | $22.3M |
| The Huntington National Bank | 35 | $13.7M |
| Byline Bank | 4 | $10.4M |
| Equity Bank | 14 | $7.1M |
| Wells Fargo Bank National Association | 9 | $6.8M |
| Regions Bank | 6 | $6.5M |
| Grand Savings Bank | 6 | $6.5M |
504 lenders, FY2020 on · development companies and first-lien banks
| Lender | Role | Loans | Dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rural Missouri, Inc. | development company | 54 | $53.3M |
| Six Bridges Capital Corporation | development company | 13 | $8.2M |
| Capital Certified Development Corporation | development company | 2 | $794K |
| Arvest Bank | first-lien bank | 19 | $23.9M |
| First Security Bank | first-lien bank | 15 | $12.8M |
| Legacy National Bank | first-lien bank | 9 | $9.0M |
| Academy Bank National Association | first-lien bank | 1 | $4.8M |
| Regions Bank | first-lien bank | 2 | $4.4M |
| Four States Bank | first-lien bank | 1 | $2.9M |
| Bank OZK | first-lien bank | 2 | $2.8M |
How those loans held up · loans approved FY2010–2019
| County | Program | Loans | Charged off | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Benton | 504 | 20 | 0 | 0.0% |
| Benton | 7(a) | 426 | 22 | 5.2% |
| Carroll | 504 | 4 | 0 | 0.0% |
| Carroll | 7(a) | 25 | 3 | 12.0% |
| Madison | 7(a) | 33 | 1 | 3.0% |
| Washington | 504 | 14 | 1 | 7.1% |
| Washington | 7(a) | 393 | 13 | 3.3% |
Share of loans the SBA charged off as losses. Small counts swing the rate: one loss out of 14 is 7.1%.
U.S. Small Business Administration, 7(a) & 504 FOIA loan data · as of Oct 20, 2026
Self-employed and small
Census Nonemployer Statistics · County Business Patterns
| County | Self-employed businesses (2024) | Businesses with employees (2023) | Employees |
|---|---|---|---|
| Benton | 28,981 | 7,788 | 140,001 |
| Washington | 23,032 | 6,281 | 101,087 |
| Carroll | 2,785 | 722 | 8,687 |
| Madison | 1,495 | 242 | 3,008 |
Self-employed businesses have no payroll (sole proprietors, gig work, single-owner LLCs). For businesses with employees by ZIP and industry, see businesses by ZIP.
U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns and Nonemployer Statistics · as of Oct 20, 2026