USDA eligibility map: Michigan
About 95.1% of Michigan's area is in USDA-eligible rural areas, by HeritageDeed's estimate from USDA Rural Development's published eligibility map, the 31st highest share among the 50 states, DC and Puerto Rico. 59 of 83 counties have no ineligible area at all. 153 Census places in Michigan lie mostly inside ineligible areas, including Detroit city, Troy city, Sterling Heights city, Forest Hills CDP and Grand Haven city.
Check a Michigan 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Alcona County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Alger County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Allegan County | 98.3% | Holland city |
| Alpena County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Antrim County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Arenac County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Baraga County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Barry County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Bay County | 89.0% | Bay City city, Essexville city |
| Benzie County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Berrien County | 91.4% | Niles city, Benton Harbor city, Fair Plain CDP, Benton Heights CDP, St. Joseph city, Stevensville village, Shoreham village |
| Branch County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Calhoun County | 89.9% | Battle Creek city, Springfield city, Brownlee Park CDP |
| Cass County | 99.9% | None mostly inside; part of the area is ineligible |
| Charlevoix County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Cheboygan County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Chippewa County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Clare County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Clinton County | 98.8% | None mostly inside; part of the area is ineligible |
| Crawford County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Delta County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Dickinson County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Eaton County | 95.8% | Waverly CDP |
| Emmet County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Genesee County | 76.5% | Flint city, Burton city, Beecher CDP, Grand Blanc city |
| Gladwin County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Gogebic County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Grand Traverse County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Gratiot County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Hillsdale County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Houghton County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Huron County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Ingham County | 81.5% | Lansing city, Okemos CDP, Haslett CDP, Holt CDP, East Lansing city, Edgemont Park CDP |
| Ionia County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Iosco County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Iron County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Isabella County | 96.5% | Mount Pleasant city |
| Jackson County | 92.5% | Jackson city, Vandercook Lake CDP |
| Kalamazoo County | 85.8% | Portage city, Kalamazoo city, Westwood CDP, Eastwood CDP, Parchment city |
| Kalkaska County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Kent County | 71.5% | Forest Hills CDP, Grand Rapids city, Walker city, Wyoming city, Kentwood city, Northview CDP, Grandville city, Cutlerville CDP, and 3 more |
| Keweenaw County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Lake County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Lapeer County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Leelanau County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Lenawee County | 98.5% | Adrian city |
| Livingston County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Luce County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Mackinac County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Macomb County | 46.9% | Sterling Heights city, Warren city, St. Clair Shores city, Roseville city, Eastpointe city, New Baltimore city, Mount Clemens city, Fraser city, and 2 more |
| Manistee County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Marquette County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Mason County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Mecosta County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Menominee County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Midland County | 93.1% | Midland city |
| Missaukee County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Monroe County | 80.9% | Monroe city, Lambertville CDP, Temperance CDP, South Monroe CDP, West Monroe CDP, Stony Point CDP, Detroit Beach CDP, Woodland Beach CDP |
| Montcalm County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Montmorency County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Muskegon County | 79.0% | Norton Shores city, Muskegon city, North Muskegon city, Wolf Lake CDP, Muskegon Heights city, Roosevelt Park city, Fruitport village |
| Newaygo County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Oakland County | 43.3% | Troy city, Farmington Hills city, Rochester Hills city, Novi city, Southfield city, Pontiac city, Auburn Hills city, Royal Oak city, and 26 more |
| Oceana County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Ogemaw County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Ontonagon County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Osceola County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Oscoda County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Otsego County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Ottawa County | 75.8% | Grand Haven city, Jenison CDP, Hudsonville city, Ferrysburg city, Zeeland city, Beechwood CDP, Spring Lake village |
| Presque Isle County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Roscommon County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Saginaw County | 91.9% | Saginaw city, Buena Vista CDP, Zilwaukee city |
| Sanilac County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Schoolcraft County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Shiawassee County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| St. Clair County | 95.3% | Port Huron city, Marysville city |
| St. Joseph County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Tuscola County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Van Buren County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Washtenaw County | 82.0% | Ann Arbor city, Ypsilanti city, Barton Hills village |
| Wayne County | 11.7% | Detroit city, Romulus city, Livonia city, Dearborn city, Taylor city, Westland city, Dearborn Heights city, Trenton city, and 26 more |
| Wexford 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 Michigan, the free census tract lookup shows the income level and QCT and DDA status, and Michigan has 288 designated Opportunity Zone tracts (Opportunity Zone lookup).
Questions
Is Michigan eligible for USDA loans?
Much of it is. About 95.1% of the state's area is outside USDA's ineligible areas (2,841 of about 58,146 square miles are ineligible). 59 counties are entirely eligible. Most people live in the larger towns, which are often ineligible, so check the specific address.
Which Michigan counties have the least USDA eligible area?
Wayne County (11.7% eligible), Oakland County (43.3% eligible), Macomb County (46.9% eligible), Kent County (71.5% eligible), Ottawa County (75.8% eligible). The share is of land area, by HeritageDeed's estimate from USDA's map; eligibility is decided for each property.
Which Michigan towns are not eligible for USDA loans?
Places USDA's map shows as mostly inside an ineligible area include Detroit city, Troy city, Sterling Heights city, Forest Hills CDP, Grand Haven city, Flint city, Norton Shores city and Monroe 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 Michigan 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 Michigan last updated?
The ineligible areas on USDA's map for Michigan 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 · Florida · Georgia · Hawaii · Idaho · Illinois · Indiana · Iowa · Kansas · Kentucky · Louisiana · Maine · Maryland · Massachusetts · 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 Michigan? Order a title search: owner of record, deeds, open mortgages and liens, $49 per report.