USDA eligibility map: North Carolina
About 93.0% of North Carolina's area is in USDA-eligible rural areas, by HeritageDeed's estimate from USDA Rural Development's published eligibility map, the 37th highest share among the 50 states, DC and Puerto Rico. 65 of 100 counties have no ineligible area at all. 111 Census places in North Carolina lie mostly inside ineligible areas, including Charlotte city, Durham city, Winston-Salem city, Raleigh city and Wilmington 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Alamance County | 78.1% | Burlington city, Mebane city, Graham city, Elon town, Woodlawn CDP, Glen Raven CDP, Haw River town, Alamance village |
| Alexander County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Alleghany County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Anson County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Ashe County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Avery County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Beaufort County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Bertie County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Bladen County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Brunswick County | 96.8% | Leland town, Belville town |
| Buncombe County | 85.6% | Asheville city, Biltmore Forest town, Royal Pines CDP, Bent Creek CDP, Avery Creek CDP, Emma CDP |
| Burke County | 99.5% | None mostly inside; part of the area is ineligible |
| Cabarrus County | 63.6% | Concord city, Kannapolis city, Harrisburg town |
| Caldwell County | 99.8% | None mostly inside; part of the area is ineligible |
| Camden County | 99.9% | None mostly inside; part of the area is ineligible |
| Carteret County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Caswell County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Catawba County | 89.7% | Hickory city, Long View town, Brookford town |
| Chatham County | 99.7% | None mostly inside; part of the area is ineligible |
| Cherokee County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Chowan County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Clay County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Cleveland County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Columbus County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Craven County | 90.0% | New Bern city, Havelock city, James City CDP, Trent Woods town, Bridgeton town |
| Cumberland County | 66.9% | Fayetteville city, Spring Lake town, Hope Mills town |
| Currituck County | 99.9% | None mostly inside; part of the area is ineligible |
| Dare County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Davidson County | 91.8% | Lexington city, Thomasville city |
| Davie County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Duplin County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Durham County | 33.0% | Durham city, Gorman CDP |
| Edgecombe County | 94.2% | None mostly inside; part of the area is ineligible |
| Forsyth County | 37.5% | Winston-Salem city, Kernersville town, Lewisville town, Clemmons village, Walkertown town, Rural Hall town, Bethania town |
| Franklin County | 99.8% | None mostly inside; part of the area is ineligible |
| Gaston County | 74.4% | Gastonia city, Belmont city, Mount Holly city, Cramerton town, McAdenville town |
| Gates County | 99.9% | None mostly inside; part of the area is ineligible |
| Graham County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Granville County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Greene County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Guilford County | 56.9% | Greensboro city, High Point city, Summerfield town, McLeansville CDP, Jamestown town |
| Halifax County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Harnett County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Haywood County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Henderson County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Hertford County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Hoke County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Hyde County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Iredell County | 91.3% | Statesville city, Mooresville town |
| Jackson County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Johnston County | 97.8% | Clayton town |
| Jones County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Lee County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Lenoir County | 89.0% | Kinston city |
| Lincoln County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Macon County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Madison County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Martin County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| McDowell County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Mecklenburg County | 9.2% | Charlotte city, Huntersville town, Mint Hill town, Matthews town, Cornelius town, Davidson town, Pineville town |
| Mitchell County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Montgomery County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Moore County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Nash County | 92.6% | Rocky Mount city |
| New Hanover County | 46.5% | Wilmington city, Murraysville CDP, Myrtle Grove CDP, Ogden CDP, Kings Grant CDP, Carolina Beach town, Silver Lake CDP, Bayshore CDP, and 3 more |
| Northampton County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Onslow County | 91.9% | Jacksonville city, Pumpkin Center CDP |
| Orange County | 80.8% | Chapel Hill town, Carrboro town |
| Pamlico County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Pasquotank County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Pender County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Perquimans County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Person County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Pitt County | 89.2% | Greenville city, Winterville town |
| Polk County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Randolph County | 92.9% | Asheboro city, Trinity city, Archdale city |
| Richmond County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Robeson County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Rockingham County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Rowan County | 90.6% | Salisbury city, Landis town, Spencer town, Granite Quarry town, East Spencer town |
| Rutherford County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Sampson County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Scotland County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Stanly County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Stokes County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Surry County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Swain County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Transylvania County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Tyrrell County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Union County | 70.7% | Monroe city, Fairview town, Indian Trail town, Weddington town, Waxhaw town, Wesley Chapel village, Stallings town, Mineral Springs town, and 3 more |
| Vance County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Wake County | 44.6% | Raleigh city, Cary town, Apex town, Wake Forest town, Garner town, Holly Springs town, Fuquay-Varina town, Knightdale town, and 1 more |
| Warren County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Washington County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Watauga County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Wayne County | 90.2% | Goldsboro city, New Hope CDP |
| Wilkes County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Wilson County | 86.7% | Wilson city |
| Yadkin County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Yancey 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 North Carolina, the free census tract lookup shows the income level and QCT and DDA status, and North Carolina has 252 designated Opportunity Zone tracts (Opportunity Zone lookup).
Questions
Is North Carolina eligible for USDA loans?
Much of it is. About 93.0% of the state's area is outside USDA's ineligible areas (3,455 of about 49,629 square miles are ineligible). 65 counties are entirely eligible. Most people live in the larger towns, which are often ineligible, so check the specific address.
Which North Carolina counties have the least USDA eligible area?
Mecklenburg County (9.2% eligible), Durham County (33.0% eligible), Forsyth County (37.5% eligible), Wake County (44.6% eligible), New Hanover County (46.5% eligible). The share is of land area, by HeritageDeed's estimate from USDA's map; eligibility is decided for each property.
Which North Carolina towns are not eligible for USDA loans?
Places USDA's map shows as mostly inside an ineligible area include Charlotte city, Durham city, Winston-Salem city, Raleigh city, Wilmington city, Greensboro city, Concord city and Fayetteville 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 North Carolina 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 North Carolina last updated?
The ineligible areas on USDA's map for North Carolina 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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