USDA eligibility map: Alabama
About 94.7% of Alabama's area is in USDA-eligible rural areas, by HeritageDeed's estimate from USDA Rural Development's published eligibility map, the 32nd highest share among the 50 states, DC and Puerto Rico. 45 of 67 counties have no ineligible area at all. 67 Census places in Alabama lie mostly inside ineligible areas, including Birmingham city, Huntsville city, Auburn city, Montgomery city and Pelham city.
Check a Alabama address
USDA eligible area by county
The share of each county's area that is USDA eligible, and the places (cities, towns and census-designated places) at least half inside ineligible areas. These are estimates; check any single property with the lookup.
| county | Area eligible | Mostly ineligible places |
|---|---|---|
| Autauga County | 94.2% | Prattville city |
| Baldwin County | 95.7% | Daphne city, Fairhope city |
| Barbour County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Bibb County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Blount County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Bullock County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Butler County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Calhoun County | 87.8% | Anniston city, Oxford city, Hobson City town |
| Chambers County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Cherokee County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Chilton County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Choctaw County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Clarke County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Clay County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Cleburne County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Coffee County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Colbert County | 92.0% | Muscle Shoals city, Tuscumbia city, Sheffield city |
| Conecuh County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Coosa County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Covington County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Crenshaw County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Cullman County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Dale County | 98.0% | None mostly inside; part of the area is ineligible |
| Dallas County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| DeKalb County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Elmore County | 96.5% | Millbrook city |
| Escambia County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Etowah County | 91.2% | Gadsden city, Attalla city |
| Fayette County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Franklin County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Geneva County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Greene County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Hale County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Henry County | 99.8% | None mostly inside; part of the area is ineligible |
| Houston County | 83.9% | Dothan city |
| Jackson County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Jefferson County | 50.8% | Birmingham city, Hoover city, Bessemer city, Trussville city, Adamsville city, Gardendale city, Leeds city, Vestavia Hills city, and 14 more |
| Lamar County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Lauderdale County | 93.3% | Florence city, St. Florian town |
| Lawrence County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Lee County | 62.7% | Auburn city, Opelika city |
| Limestone County | 86.6% | Mooresville town |
| Lowndes County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Macon County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Madison County | 61.5% | Huntsville city, Madison city, Redstone Arsenal CDP |
| Marengo County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Marion County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Marshall County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Mobile County | 78.7% | Mobile city, Saraland city, Prichard city, Tillmans Corner CDP, Satsuma city, Chickasaw city |
| Monroe County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Montgomery County | 67.6% | Montgomery city, Pike Road city |
| Morgan County | 80.5% | Decatur city, Hartselle city |
| Perry County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Pickens County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Pike County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Randolph County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Russell County | 94.8% | Phenix City city |
| Shelby County | 77.7% | Pelham city, Alabaster city, Helena city, Meadowbrook CDP, Indian Springs Village city, Highland Lakes CDP, Brook Highland CDP, Eagle Point CDP |
| St. Clair County | 95.1% | Moody city |
| Sumter County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Talladega County | 99.0% | None mostly inside; part of the area is ineligible |
| Tallapoosa County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Tuscaloosa County | 85.1% | Tuscaloosa city, Northport city, Cottondale CDP, Holt CDP |
| Walker County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Washington County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Wilcox County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Winston County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
How USDA decides what is rural
The rural-area definition is section 520 of the Housing Act of 1949 (42 U.S.C. 1490): open country and places not part of or associated with an urban area with up to 2,500 people, up to 10,000 if rural in character, or up to 20,000 outside a metropolitan statistical area with a serious lack of mortgage credit for lower and moderate-income families. Areas that lost rural status in the 1990 to 2020 censuses stay rural until 2030 census data arrive if they have 10,000 to 35,000 people and meet the same conditions. Income is a separate test, applied to the household by the lender and USDA.
For other address-level designations in Alabama, the free census tract lookup shows the income level and QCT and DDA status, and Alabama has 158 designated Opportunity Zone tracts (Opportunity Zone lookup).
Questions
Is Alabama eligible for USDA loans?
Much of it is. About 94.7% of the state's area is outside USDA's ineligible areas (2,737 of about 51,725 square miles are ineligible). 45 counties are entirely eligible. Most people live in the larger towns, which are often ineligible, so check the specific address.
Which Alabama counties have the least USDA eligible area?
Jefferson County (50.8% eligible), Madison County (61.5% eligible), Lee County (62.7% eligible), Montgomery County (67.6% eligible), Shelby County (77.7% eligible). The share is of land area, by HeritageDeed's estimate from USDA's map; eligibility is decided for each property.
Which Alabama towns are not eligible for USDA loans?
Places USDA's map shows as mostly inside an ineligible area include Birmingham city, Huntsville city, Auburn city, Montgomery city, Pelham city, Mobile city, Decatur city and Dothan city. The county table on this page lists every place that is mostly ineligible. Edges matter: part of a town, or land just outside it, can be on the other side of the line, so check the address.
How do I check a Alabama address for USDA eligibility?
Enter the street address in the lookup on this page. It locates the address and checks it against USDA's published rural eligibility map. It is a screening: Rural Development makes the final determination on a complete application, and household income is a separate test (USDA's income eligibility tool).
When was the USDA eligibility map for Alabama last updated?
The ineligible areas on USDA's map for Alabama carry an effective date of July 25, 2023. USDA updates the map from ineligible-area changes sent in by its state offices. The statute keeps formerly rural areas of 10,000 to 35,000 people rural until data from the 2030 census arrive, if they still meet its conditions.
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Legal references
- 42 U.S.C. 1490, definition of rural area (Housing Act of 1949, section 520)
Areas are computed by HeritageDeed: estimates, not USDA figures. USDA's map is not a final determination; Rural Development decides on a complete application. HeritageDeed is not affiliated with USDA.
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