Buying a Business in Connecticut
The Numbers
FY2025 Acquisition Loans
81
$106M approved
Median Loan
$725k
FY2020 through FY2025
Loans Since FY2020
293
$344M in total approvals
Share of U.S. Activity
0.8%
Of change-of-ownership loans
What the Data Says
Connecticut ranks 34th of 53 states and territories for change-of-ownership SBA 7(a) lending: 293 loans since FY2020, 0.8% of the national total.
The typical deal runs large: its $725k median loan sits above the $650k midpoint across states, so expect bigger checks and the larger injection and cash flow they need.
Activity is accelerating: FY2025's 81 loans ran ahead of the state's own ~49 a year pace since FY2020.
The most-financed target is beer, wine, and liquor retailers (15 loans), and the 5 most active lenders wrote about 44% of the state's acquisitions, a broad lender field.
Most Active Acquisition Lenders in Connecticut
- 1. Live Oak Banking Company54 loans
- 2. Manufacturers and Traders Trust Company33 loans
- 3. Liberty Bank15 loans
- 4. Beacon Bank and Trust14 loans
- 5. Webster Bank National Association13 loans
A lender being active in Connecticut does not require a local branch; several top SBA lenders work nationally. Build a shortlist with Lenders.
Within two hours of New York City? The Metro Target Scans rank this region's strongest industries.
What Gets Bought in Connecticut
- Beer, Wine, and Liquor Retailers15 loans
- Full-Service Restaurants10 loans
- Private Mail Centers9 loans
- Hotels (except Casino Hotels) and Motels7 loans
- Insurance Agencies and Brokerages7 loans
Industry-specific pricing and diligence live in the Guides. How many buyable businesses Connecticut holds in each trade is in Where the Businesses Are.
Method & Source
Computed from the SBA 7(a) FOIA loan-level dataset (FY2020 through FY2025), filtered to approvals flagged change of ownership with a Connecticut project address. Approvals, not closings; excludes conventional and 504 financing.