Gas Station Feasibility Study in Idaho

Idaho fuel stops: big tickets for a small state

Gas station and truck stop lending in Idaho is a high-ticket affair. Across FY2017 to FY2026 there were 60 SBA approvals worth $72.2 million, and the $952,500 median runs at 0.91x the nationwide median. Half the loans sit between $299,250 and $1.8 million, a wide band that holds a modest station and a large travel plaza. Among states Idaho stands 30 of 53, while within Idaho the class holds 12 of 39. A location quotient of 0.82x puts fuel retail a little under its national weight, and none of the metrics clears the margin that would make the cell distinct from its parents.

Under 7(a) fall 47 loans and under 504 fall 13, while franchising reaches 43.3%, so a fuel brand or convenience banner stands behind most of these borrowers. America First Federal Credit Union has 8 loans and $8.1 million. Southwestern National Bank has only 5 loans yet $10.2 million, which signals a handful of very large projects. A credit union leading a gas station table is a reminder that Idaho borrowers shop well beyond the big banks.

Kootenai first, then the south

Kootenai County has 12 loans, Bannock 6 and Ada 5, with Gooding and Nez Perce at 4 each. The northern panhandle, the southeast and the Boise area all appear, which fits a state where travelers cross long distances. FY2024 produced 15 loans worth $16.7 million, a peak that dwarfs FY2020 with 2 loans, and FY2025 added 8 loans and $11.1 million.

Cancellation touched at least 6.5% of Idaho approvals through FY2024, with a ceiling of 8.7%. The loss rate for charged-off loans is not shown, because the disbursed group stays below the 30-loan line, and an absent figure is never evidence of zero losses.

Questions an Idaho study must answer

Fuel margins are thin and the convenience store, food service and car wash side lines often carry the profit, so a study should model inside sales apart from gallons. Traffic counts, highway access and competing stations within a short drive set demand. Cost covers tanks, canopy, dispensers and environmental compliance, which can be the largest risk item, so a lender should insist on a site assessment. Coverage must survive fuel price swings. Two data cautions apply: the category is the borrower's industry, so truck stop and travel center loans cannot be split out, and charging stations for electric cars are missing from the 2022 index, so that growing use stays invisible here.