USDA Income Limits 2026: How County-Level Limits Are Set and How to Look Them Up

USDA sets separate household income limits for each county in the United States, and the limits are adjusted for household size. A borrower in a low-income rural county may face a lower income ceiling than a borrower 20 miles away in a higher-income market. Verifying the exact limit before taking an application prevents wasted time on ineligible files.

How USDA Calculates the Income Limit

USDA bases its income limits on 115% of the Area Median Income for the county or metro area, adjusted by household size. The base limit (for a 1-4 person household) and the high-income limit (for a 5-8 person household) differ by county and by state. In some metropolitan counties, USDA income limits are substantially higher than most MLOs expect because the AMI for that area is high.

The Household Size Adjustment

• ✦USDA income limits automatically increase with household size
• ✦A 4-person household in a given county has a higher limit than a 2-person household in the same county
• ✦Household size includes all occupants of the home, not just borrowers on the loan
• ✦Children, non-borrowing spouses, and other dependents increase the household size and thus the allowable income limit

How to Look Up Limits

The authoritative source is the USDA Rural Development income eligibility tool available at the RD website. Enter the state, county, and household size to retrieve the current income limit. Limits are updated annually, typically in the spring. Between the old and new limit effective dates, USDA instructs lenders to use whichever limit is more beneficial to the borrower.

Property Eligibility and Income Eligibility Are Separate Tests

Many MLOs conflate property eligibility (whether the property is in a USDA-eligible rural area) with income eligibility (whether the household income is below the limit). Both tests must pass independently. A property in an eligible rural area with a household over the income limit does not qualify. Conversely, a household under the income limit purchasing a property in an ineligible urban area also does not qualify.