USDA eligibility map: Massachusetts
About 72.6% of Massachusetts's area is in USDA-eligible rural areas, by HeritageDeed's estimate from USDA Rural Development's published eligibility map, the 49th highest share among the 50 states, DC and Puerto Rico. 3 of 14 counties have no ineligible area at all, and Suffolk County is entirely ineligible. 104 Census places in Massachusetts lie mostly inside ineligible areas, including Boston city, Franklin Town city, Framingham city, Haverhill city and Brockton city.
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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 |
|---|---|---|
| Barnstable County | 86.1% | Barnstable Town city |
| Berkshire County | 95.5% | Pittsfield city |
| Bristol County | 62.4% | Taunton city, Fall River city, Attleboro city, New Bedford city, North Attleborough Town city, Somerset CDP, Mansfield Center CDP, North Seekonk CDP |
| Dukes County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Essex County | 47.5% | Haverhill city, Gloucester city, Methuen city, Peabody city, Beverly city, Danvers CDP, Amesbury city, Saugus CDP, and 9 more |
| Franklin County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Hampden County | 65.3% | Westfield city, Springfield city, Agawam Town city, Chicopee city, Holyoke city, West Springfield Town city, Longmeadow CDP |
| Hampshire County | 82.5% | Northampton city, Amherst Town city, Easthampton city |
| Middlesex County | 41.9% | Framingham city, Marlborough city, Newton city, Wilmington CDP, Lexington CDP, Lowell city, Waltham city, Woburn city, and 20 more |
| Nantucket County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Norfolk County | 31.3% | Franklin Town city, Weymouth Town city, Quincy city, Braintree Town city, Milton CDP, Needham CDP, Dedham CDP, Norwood CDP, and 7 more |
| Plymouth County | 62.1% | Brockton city, Abington CDP, Marshfield CDP, Marshfield Hills CDP, Scituate CDP, Hull CDP, The Pinehills CDP, North Scituate CDP, and 5 more |
| Suffolk County | 0% | Boston city, Revere city, Chelsea city, Winthrop Town city |
| Worcester County | 86.0% | Worcester city, Leominster city, Fitchburg city, Milford CDP, Webster CDP, Westborough CDP, Hopedale CDP |
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 Massachusetts, the free census tract lookup shows the income level and QCT and DDA status, and Massachusetts has 138 designated Opportunity Zone tracts (Opportunity Zone lookup).
Questions
Is Massachusetts eligible for USDA loans?
Much of it is. About 72.6% of the state's area is outside USDA's ineligible areas (2,241 of about 8,176 square miles are ineligible). 3 counties are entirely eligible. Most people live in the larger towns, which are often ineligible, so check the specific address.
Which Massachusetts counties have the least USDA eligible area?
Suffolk County (0% eligible), Norfolk County (31.3% eligible), Middlesex County (41.9% eligible), Essex County (47.5% eligible), Plymouth County (62.1% eligible). The share is of land area, by HeritageDeed's estimate from USDA's map; eligibility is decided for each property.
Which Massachusetts towns are not eligible for USDA loans?
Places USDA's map shows as mostly inside an ineligible area include Boston city, Franklin Town city, Framingham city, Haverhill city, Brockton city, Taunton city, Westfield city and Northampton 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 Massachusetts 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 Massachusetts last updated?
The ineligible areas on USDA's map for Massachusetts 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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