Buying a Business in Pennsylvania
The Numbers
FY2025 Acquisition Loans
278
$302M approved
Median Loan
$519k
FY2020 through FY2025
Loans Since FY2020
1,270
$1.21B in total approvals
Share of U.S. Activity
3.5%
Of change-of-ownership loans
What the Data Says
Pennsylvania ranks 10th of 53 states and territories for change-of-ownership SBA 7(a) lending: 1,270 loans since FY2020, 4% of the national total.
The typical deal runs small: its $519k median loan sits below the $650k midpoint across states, within reach on less equity.
Activity is accelerating: FY2025's 278 loans ran ahead of the state's own ~212 a year pace since FY2020.
The most-financed target is full-service restaurants (76 loans), and the 5 most active lenders wrote about 34% of the state's acquisitions, a broad lender field.
Most Active Acquisition Lenders in Pennsylvania
- 1. Live Oak Banking Company111 loans
- 2. Northwest Bank (PA)88 loans
- 3. The Huntington National Bank88 loans
- 4. Beacon Bank and Trust72 loans
- 5. First Commonwealth Bank68 loans
A lender being active in Pennsylvania does not require a local branch; several top SBA lenders work nationally. Build a shortlist with Lenders.
What Gets Bought in Pennsylvania
- Full-Service Restaurants76 loans
- Limited-Service Restaurants67 loans
- Beer, Wine, and Liquor Retailers48 loans
- Plumbing, Heating, and Air-Conditioning Contractors41 loans
- Hotels (except Casino Hotels) and Motels39 loans
Industry-specific pricing and diligence live in the Guides. Where the buyable targets sit in Pennsylvania, by county, is in the Pennsylvania buying guide.
By Metro Area in Pennsylvania
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD
598 purchase loans, median $628k. Bought most: Full-Service Restaurants. Most active lender: Wilmington Savings Fund Society FSB (53).
Pittsburgh, PA
264 purchase loans, median $521k. Bought most: Limited-Service Restaurants. Most active lender: The Huntington National Bank (53).
Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ
76 purchase loans, median $555k. Bought most: Full-Service Restaurants. Most active lender: Beacon Bank and Trust (13).
Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA
69 purchase loans, median $360k. Bought most: Full-Service Restaurants. Most active lender: Fidelity Deposit and Discount Bank (13).
Lancaster, PA
61 purchase loans, median $512k. Bought most: Full-Service Restaurants. Most active lender: Beacon Bank and Trust (6).
Reading, PA
60 purchase loans, median $498k. Bought most: Beauty Salons. Most active lender: Customers Bank (12).
Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA
59 purchase loans, median $650k. Bought most: Landscaping Services. Most active lender: Beacon Bank and Trust (18).
York-Hanover, PA
52 purchase loans, median $495k. Bought most: Full-Service Restaurants. Most active lender: Manufacturers and Traders Trust Company (20).
Erie, PA
39 purchase loans, median $246k. Bought most: Beer, Wine, and Liquor Retailers. Most active lender: Northwest Bank (PA) (28).
Every metro area that drew 20 purchase loans, with three lenders each, is in the metro table.
Method & Source
Computed from the SBA 7(a) FOIA loan-level dataset (FY2020 through FY2025), filtered to approvals flagged change of ownership with a Pennsylvania project address. Approvals, not closings; excludes conventional and 504 financing.