USDA eligibility map: Florida
About 76.3% of Florida's area is in USDA-eligible rural areas, by HeritageDeed's estimate from USDA Rural Development's published eligibility map, the 47th highest share among the 50 states, DC and Puerto Rico. 29 of 67 counties have no ineligible area at all, and Broward County, Miami-Dade County and Pinellas County are entirely ineligible. 566 Census places in Florida lie mostly inside ineligible areas, including Fort Lauderdale city, Miami city, St. Petersburg city, North Key Largo CDP and Jacksonville city.
Check a Florida 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Alachua County | 88.1% | Gainesville city |
| Baker County | 99.9% | None mostly inside; part of the area is ineligible |
| Bay County | 89.4% | Panama City city, Panama City Beach city, Upper Grand Lagoon CDP, Springfield city, Cedar Grove CDP, Lower Grand Lagoon CDP, Laguna Beach CDP, Parker city, and 1 more |
| Bradford County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Brevard County | 14.3% | Palm Bay city, Melbourne city, Merritt Island CDP, Titusville city, Grant-Valkaria town, North Merritt Island CDP, Rockledge city, Cocoa city, and 20 more |
| Broward County | 0% | Fort Lauderdale city, Davie town, Pembroke Pines city, Miramar city, Hollywood city, Weston city, Pompano Beach city, Coral Springs city, and 29 more |
| Calhoun County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Charlotte County | 71.4% | Port Charlotte CDP, Punta Gorda city, Rotonda CDP, Charlotte Harbor CDP, Manasota Key CDP, Grove City CDP, Charlotte Park CDP |
| Citrus County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Clay County | 89.4% | Fleming Island CDP, Oakleaf Plantation CDP, Lakeside CDP, Orange Park town, Bellair-Meadowbrook Terrace CDP |
| Collier County | 92.4% | Marco Island city, Naples city, Lely Resort CDP, Golden Gate CDP, Pelican Bay CDP, Pelican Marsh CDP, Pine Ridge CDP, Lely CDP, and 3 more |
| Columbia County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| DeSoto County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Dixie County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Duval County | 0.2% | Jacksonville city, Jacksonville Beach city, Atlantic Beach city, Neptune Beach city |
| Escambia County | 70.1% | Pensacola city, Ferry Pass CDP, Gonzalez CDP, Ensley CDP, Bellview CDP, Brent CDP, Pensacola Station CDP, Warrington CDP, and 3 more |
| Flagler County | 79.8% | Palm Coast city |
| Franklin County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Gadsden County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Gilchrist County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Glades County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Gulf County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Hamilton County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Hardee County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Hendry County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Hernando County | 87.5% | Spring Hill CDP |
| Highlands County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Hillsborough County | 50.0% | Tampa city, Riverview CDP, Keystone CDP, Brandon CDP, Plant City city, Lutz CDP, Town 'n' Country CDP, East Lake-Orient Park CDP, and 19 more |
| Holmes County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Indian River County | 76.6% | Sebastian city, Vero Beach city, Florida Ridge CDP, Vero Beach South CDP, Indian River Shores town, South Beach CDP, West Vero Corridor CDP, Roseland CDP, and 3 more |
| Jackson County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Jefferson County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Lafayette County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Lake County | 93.4% | Clermont city, Tavares city, Eustis city, Lady Lake town, Mount Dora city |
| Lee County | 27.0% | Cape Coral city, Lehigh Acres CDP, North Fort Myers CDP, Fort Myers city, Bonita Springs city, Estero village, Sanibel city, St. James City CDP, and 25 more |
| Leon County | 70.1% | Tallahassee city, Chaires CDP |
| Levy County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Liberty County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Madison County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Manatee County | 85.0% | Bradenton city, Longboat Key town, Palmetto city, Cortez CDP, South Bradenton CDP, Bayshore Gardens CDP, Holmes Beach city, Samoset CDP, and 5 more |
| Marion County | 94.5% | Ocala city, Silver Springs Shores CDP |
| Martin County | 84.3% | Palm City CDP, Stuart city, Jensen Beach CDP, Hobe Sound CDP, Sewall's Point town, Port Salerno CDP, North River Shores CDP, Rio CDP, and 1 more |
| Miami-Dade County | 0% | Miami city, Hialeah city, Miami Gardens city, Kendall CDP, Homestead city, Miami Beach city, Doral city, Coral Gables city, and 62 more |
| Monroe County | 0.1% | North Key Largo CDP, Key Largo CDP, Big Pine Key CDP, Marathon city, Cudjoe Key CDP, Key West city, Islamorada, Village of Islands village, Tavernier CDP, and 5 more |
| Nassau County | 99.8% | None mostly inside; part of the area is ineligible |
| Okaloosa County | 88.8% | Crestview city, Niceville city, Valparaiso city, Fort Walton Beach city, Destin city, Wright CDP, Eglin AFB CDP, Lake Lorraine CDP, and 4 more |
| Okeechobee County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Orange County | 40.7% | Orlando city, Horizon West CDP, Apopka city, Alafaya CDP, Bay Lake city, Winter Garden city, Lake Butler CDP, Ocoee city, and 35 more |
| Osceola County | 88.3% | Poinciana CDP, Four Corners CDP, St. Cloud city, Kissimmee city, Celebration CDP, Buenaventura Lakes CDP, Campbell CDP |
| Palm Beach County | 46.2% | Palm Beach Gardens city, West Palm Beach city, Wellington village, The Acreage CDP, Boca Raton city, Jupiter town, Boynton Beach city, Delray Beach city, and 48 more |
| Pasco County | 70.2% | Wesley Chapel CDP, Land O' Lakes CDP, Moon Lake CDP, Hudson CDP, Trinity CDP, Bayonet Point CDP, Holiday CDP, New Port Richey city, and 11 more |
| Pinellas County | 0% | St. Petersburg city, East Lake CDP, Clearwater city, Palm Harbor CDP, Largo city, Pinellas Park city, Dunedin city, Tarpon Springs city, and 29 more |
| Polk County | 84.9% | Lakeland city, Bartow city, Winter Haven city, Auburndale city, Medulla CDP, Lakeland Highlands CDP, Cypress Gardens CDP, Crystal Lake CDP, and 2 more |
| Putnam County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Santa Rosa County | 91.2% | Midway CDP, Navarre CDP, Gulf Breeze city, Woodlawn Beach CDP, Tiger Point CDP, Oriole Beach CDP |
| Sarasota County | 55.2% | North Port city, Sarasota city, Englewood CDP, Venice city, Laurel CDP, Palmer Ranch CDP, Fruitville CDP, South Venice CDP, and 19 more |
| Seminole County | 38.7% | Sanford city, Oviedo city, Winter Springs city, Lake Mary city, Altamonte Springs city, Wekiwa Springs CDP, Casselberry city, Longwood city, and 4 more |
| St. Johns County | 88.6% | Fruit Cove CDP, Palm Valley CDP, St. Augustine city, St. Augustine Shores CDP, Sawgrass CDP, St. Augustine Beach city, Vilano Beach CDP, St. Augustine South CDP |
| St. Lucie County | 58.3% | Port St. Lucie city, Fort Pierce city, Hutchinson Island South CDP, Lakewood Park CDP, Indian River Estates CDP, White City CDP, Fort Pierce North CDP, Fort Pierce South CDP, and 2 more |
| Sumter County | 94.4% | The Villages CDP |
| Suwannee County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Taylor County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Union County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Volusia County | 67.4% | Daytona Beach city, New Smyrna Beach city, Deltona city, Ormond Beach city, Port Orange city, Edgewater city, DeBary city, DeLand city, and 9 more |
| Wakulla County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Walton County | 99.2% | Miramar Beach CDP |
| Washington 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 Florida, the free census tract lookup shows the income level and QCT and DDA status, and Florida has 427 designated Opportunity Zone tracts (Opportunity Zone lookup).
Questions
Is Florida eligible for USDA loans?
Much of it is. About 76.3% of the state's area is outside USDA's ineligible areas (13,850 of about 58,332 square miles are ineligible). 29 counties are entirely eligible. Most people live in the larger towns, which are often ineligible, so check the specific address.
Which Florida counties have the least USDA eligible area?
Broward County (0% eligible), Miami-Dade County (0% eligible), Pinellas County (0% eligible), Monroe County (0.1% eligible), Duval County (0.2% eligible). The share is of land area, by HeritageDeed's estimate from USDA's map; eligibility is decided for each property.
Which Florida towns are not eligible for USDA loans?
Places USDA's map shows as mostly inside an ineligible area include Fort Lauderdale city, Miami city, St. Petersburg city, North Key Largo CDP, Jacksonville city, Palm Bay city, Cape Coral city and Sanford 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 Florida 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 Florida last updated?
The ineligible areas on USDA's map for Florida 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.
Other states
Alabama · Alaska · Arizona · Arkansas · California · Colorado · Connecticut · Delaware · Washington, DC · Georgia · Hawaii · Idaho · Illinois · Indiana · Iowa · Kansas · Kentucky · Louisiana · Maine · Maryland · Massachusetts · Michigan · Minnesota · Mississippi · Missouri · Montana · Nebraska · Nevada · New Hampshire · New Jersey · New Mexico · New York · North Carolina · North Dakota · Ohio · Oklahoma · Oregon · Pennsylvania · Puerto Rico · Rhode Island · South Carolina · South Dakota · Tennessee · Texas · Utah · Vermont · Virginia · Washington · West Virginia · Wisconsin · Wyoming
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.
Buying in Florida? Order a title search: owner of record, deeds, open mortgages and liens, $49 per report.