USDA eligibility map: Pennsylvania
About 94.4% of Pennsylvania's area is in USDA-eligible rural areas, by HeritageDeed's estimate from USDA Rural Development's published eligibility map, the 33rd highest share among the 50 states, DC and Puerto Rico. 39 of 67 counties have no ineligible area at all, and Philadelphia County is entirely ineligible. 451 Census places in Pennsylvania lie mostly inside ineligible areas, including Philadelphia city, Chester city, Pittsburgh city, King of Prussia CDP and Levittown CDP.
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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 |
|---|---|---|
| Adams County | 99.8% | McSherrystown borough, Midway CDP |
| Allegheny County | 32.1% | Pittsburgh city, Monroeville municipality, Jefferson Hills borough, West Mifflin borough, Allison Park CDP, Franklin Park borough, Bethel Park municipality, Fox Chapel borough, and 78 more |
| Armstrong County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Beaver County | 95.9% | Aliquippa city, South Heights borough |
| Bedford County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Berks County | 92.3% | Reading city, Wyomissing borough, Reiffton CDP, Lorane CDP, Jacksonwald CDP, Sinking Spring borough, Whitfield CDP, Riverview Park CDP, and 25 more |
| Blair County | 96.8% | Altoona city, Greenwood CDP, East Altoona CDP, Newburg CDP |
| Bradford County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Bucks County | 72.7% | Levittown CDP, Richboro CDP, Churchville CDP, Croydon CDP, Tullytown borough, Fairless Hills CDP, Bristol borough, Morrisville borough, and 15 more |
| Butler County | 95.3% | Homeacre-Lyndora CDP, Oak Hills CDP, Meridian CDP, Butler city, Meadowood CDP |
| Cambria County | 96.2% | Johnstown city, Westmont borough, Elim CDP, Belmont CDP, Oakland CDP, Westwood CDP, Southmont borough, Geistown borough, and 6 more |
| Cameron County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Carbon County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Centre County | 98.6% | State College borough, Park Forest Village CDP |
| Chester County | 78.0% | Phoenixville borough, Exton CDP, Lionville CDP, Downingtown borough, Frazer CDP, Paoli CDP, Thorndale CDP, Berwyn CDP, and 9 more |
| Clarion County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Clearfield County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Clinton County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Columbia County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Crawford County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Cumberland County | 88.7% | Carlisle borough, Mechanicsburg borough, Lower Allen CDP, Camp Hill borough, New Cumberland borough, Enola CDP, Lemoyne borough, Wormleysburg borough, and 3 more |
| Dauphin County | 83.8% | Hershey CDP, Harrisburg city, Colonial Park CDP, Linglestown CDP, Progress CDP, Paxtonia CDP, Steelton borough, Palmdale CDP, and 7 more |
| Delaware County | 4.5% | Chester city, Drexel Hill CDP, Broomall CDP, Chester Heights borough, Wayne CDP, Village Green-Green Ridge CDP, Brookhaven borough, Woodlyn CDP, and 31 more |
| Elk County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Erie County | 88.2% | Erie city, Northwest Harborcreek CDP, Lawrence Park CDP, Penn State Erie (Behrend) CDP, Wesleyville borough |
| Fayette County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Forest County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Franklin County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Fulton County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Greene County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Huntingdon County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Indiana County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Jefferson County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Juniata County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Lackawanna County | 83.8% | Scranton city, Dunmore borough, Moosic borough, Taylor borough, Throop borough, Dickson City borough, Blakely borough, Old Forge borough |
| Lancaster County | 93.2% | Lancaster city, Columbia borough, Millersville borough, East Petersburg borough, Smoketown CDP, Rohrerstown CDP |
| Lawrence County | 93.4% | New Castle city, Oakwood CDP, Oakland CDP, New Castle Northwest CDP, South New Castle borough |
| Lebanon County | 95.8% | Lebanon city, Avon CDP, Sand Hill CDP, Lebanon South CDP, Pleasant Hill CDP, Hebron CDP |
| Lehigh County | 74.0% | Allentown city, Fullerton CDP, Emmaus borough, Wescosville CDP, Ancient Oaks CDP, Dorneyville CDP, Trexlertown CDP, Egypt CDP, and 8 more |
| Luzerne County | 89.8% | Wilkes-Barre city, Hazleton city, Duryea borough, Exeter borough, Larksville borough, West Wyoming borough, Nanticoke city, Kingston borough, and 25 more |
| Lycoming County | 98.7% | Williamsport city, South Williamsport borough, Kenmar CDP, Garden View CDP, Duboistown borough, Faxon CDP |
| McKean County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Mercer County | 94.5% | Hermitage city, Sharon city, Farrell city, Sharpsville borough, Wheatland borough |
| Mifflin County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Monroe County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Montgomery County | 48.9% | King of Prussia CDP, Horsham CDP, Blue Bell CDP, Pottstown borough, Montgomeryville CDP, Audubon CDP, Plymouth Meeting CDP, Norristown borough, and 42 more |
| Montour County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Northampton County | 80.0% | Bethlehem city, Easton city, Chestnut Hill CDP, Northampton borough, Middletown CDP, Palmer Heights CDP, Wilson borough, Morgan Hill CDP, and 5 more |
| Northumberland County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Perry County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Philadelphia County | 0% | Philadelphia city |
| Pike County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Potter County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Schuylkill County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Snyder County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Somerset County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Sullivan County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Susquehanna County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Tioga County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Union County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Venango County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Warren County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Washington County | 95.7% | McMurray CDP, Washington city, Canonsburg borough, Thompsonville CDP, East Washington borough, Lawrence CDP, Houston borough, Hendersonville CDP, and 1 more |
| Wayne County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Westmoreland County | 92.9% | Lower Burrell city, New Kensington city, Greensburg city, Level Green CDP, Jeannette city, Manor borough, Trafford borough, Arnold city, and 8 more |
| Wyoming County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| York County | 92.1% | Weigelstown CDP, York city, Shiloh CDP, Hanover borough, Parkville CDP, East York CDP, Grantley CDP, Stonybrook CDP, and 11 more |
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 Pennsylvania, the free census tract lookup shows the income level and QCT and DDA status, and Pennsylvania has 300 designated Opportunity Zone tracts (Opportunity Zone lookup).
Questions
Is Pennsylvania eligible for USDA loans?
Much of it is. About 94.4% of the state's area is outside USDA's ineligible areas (2,520 of about 45,248 square miles are ineligible). 39 counties are entirely eligible. Most people live in the larger towns, which are often ineligible, so check the specific address.
Which Pennsylvania counties have the least USDA eligible area?
Philadelphia County (0% eligible), Delaware County (4.5% eligible), Allegheny County (32.1% eligible), Montgomery County (48.9% eligible), Bucks County (72.7% eligible). The share is of land area, by HeritageDeed's estimate from USDA's map; eligibility is decided for each property.
Which Pennsylvania towns are not eligible for USDA loans?
Places USDA's map shows as mostly inside an ineligible area include Philadelphia city, Chester city, Pittsburgh city, King of Prussia CDP, Levittown CDP, Allentown city, Phoenixville borough and Bethlehem 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 Pennsylvania 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 Pennsylvania last updated?
The ineligible areas on USDA's map for Pennsylvania 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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