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USDA eligibility map: North Dakota

About 99.7% of North Dakota's area is in USDA-eligible rural areas, by HeritageDeed's estimate from USDA Rural Development's published eligibility map, the 5th highest share among the 50 states, DC and Puerto Rico. 48 of 53 counties have no ineligible area at all. 10 Census places in North Dakota lie mostly inside ineligible areas, including Fargo city, Bismarck city, Grand Forks city, Minot city and Mandan city.

99.7%
of the area is USDA eligible (estimate)
233
square miles mapped ineligible
48 of 53
counties with no ineligible area
10
Census places mostly ineligible

Check a North Dakota 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.

USDA eligible share of area and mostly ineligible places by county in North Dakota
countyArea eligibleMostly ineligible places
Adams County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Barnes County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Benson County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Billings County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Bottineau County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Bowman County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Burke County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Burleigh County97.0%Bismarck city
Cass County94.5%Fargo city, West Fargo city, Frontier city, Briarwood city, North River city, Prairie Rose city
Cavalier County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Dickey County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Divide County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Dunn County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Eddy County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Emmons County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Foster County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Golden Valley County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Grand Forks County97.8%Grand Forks city
Grant County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Griggs County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Hettinger County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Kidder County100%None: the whole county is eligible
LaMoure County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Logan County100%None: the whole county is eligible
McHenry County100%None: the whole county is eligible
McIntosh County100%None: the whole county is eligible
McKenzie County100%None: the whole county is eligible
McLean County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Mercer County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Morton County99.2%Mandan city
Mountrail County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Nelson County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Oliver County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Pembina County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Pierce County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Ramsey County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Ransom County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Renville County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Richland County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Rolette County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Sargent County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Sheridan County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Sioux County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Slope County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Stark County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Steele County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Stutsman County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Towner County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Traill County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Walsh County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Ward County98.1%Minot city
Wells County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Williams County100%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 Dakota, the free census tract lookup shows the income level and QCT and DDA status, and North Dakota has 25 designated Opportunity Zone tracts (Opportunity Zone lookup).

Questions

Is North Dakota eligible for USDA loans?

Much of it is. About 99.7% of the state's area is outside USDA's ineligible areas (233 of about 70,501 square miles are ineligible). 48 counties are entirely eligible. Most people live in the larger towns, which are often ineligible, so check the specific address.

Which North Dakota counties have the least USDA eligible area?

Cass County (94.5% eligible), Burleigh County (97.0% eligible), Grand Forks County (97.8% eligible), Ward County (98.1% eligible), Morton County (99.2% eligible). The share is of land area, by HeritageDeed's estimate from USDA's map; eligibility is decided for each property.

Which North Dakota towns are not eligible for USDA loans?

Places USDA's map shows as mostly inside an ineligible area include Fargo city, Bismarck city, Grand Forks city, Minot city and Mandan 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 Dakota 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 Dakota last updated?

The ineligible areas on USDA's map for North Dakota 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

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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