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USDA eligibility map: Texas

About 96.1% of Texas's area is in USDA-eligible rural areas, by HeritageDeed's estimate from USDA Rural Development's published eligibility map, the 28th highest share among the 50 states, DC and Puerto Rico. 190 of 254 counties have no ineligible area at all. 299 Census places in Texas lie mostly inside ineligible areas, including Dallas city, Fort Worth city, Houston city, Texas City city and Austin city.

96.1%
of the area is USDA eligible (estimate)
10,415
square miles mapped ineligible
190 of 254
counties with no ineligible area
299
Census places mostly ineligible

Check a Texas 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 Texas
countyArea eligibleMostly ineligible places
Anderson County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Andrews County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Angelina County95.9%Lufkin city
Aransas County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Archer County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Armstrong County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Atascosa County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Austin County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Bailey County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Bandera County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Bastrop County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Baylor County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Bee County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Bell County77.3%Temple city, Killeen city, Fort Hood CDP, Harker Heights city
Bexar County48.2%San Antonio city, Timberwood Park CDP, Converse city, Universal City city, Selma city, Live Oak city, Randolph AFB CDP, Leon Valley city, and 10 more
Blanco County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Borden County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Bosque County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Bowie County96.0%Texarkana city
Brazoria County91.8%Pearland city, Alvin city, Lake Jackson city, Angleton city, Brookside Village city
Brazos County80.9%Bryan city, College Station city
Brewster County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Briscoe County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Brooks County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Brown County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Burleson County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Burnet County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Caldwell County99.0%None mostly inside; part of the area is ineligible
Calhoun County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Callahan County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Cameron County70.5%Brownsville city, Harlingen city, San Benito city, Port Isabel city, Rancho Viejo town, San Pedro CDP, Olmito CDP, Palm Valley city, and 4 more
Camp County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Carson County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Cass County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Castro County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Chambers County99.1%None mostly inside; part of the area is ineligible
Cherokee County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Childress County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Clay County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Cochran County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Coke County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Coleman County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Collin County56.8%Plano city, McKinney city, Frisco city, Wylie city, Allen city, Prosper town, Lucas city, Princeton city, and 7 more
Collingsworth County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Colorado County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Comal County90.6%New Braunfels city, Garden Ridge city
Comanche County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Concho County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Cooke County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Coryell County76.4%Copperas Cove city
Cottle County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Crane County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Crockett County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Crosby County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Culberson County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Dallam County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Dallas County6.5%Dallas city, Grand Prairie city, Irving city, Garland city, Mesquite city, Carrollton city, Cedar Hill city, Lancaster city, and 15 more
Dawson County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Deaf Smith County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Delta County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Denton County60.6%Denton city, Lewisville city, Flower Mound town, Little Elm city, The Colony city, Corinth city, Highland Village city, Hickory Creek town, and 9 more
DeWitt County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Dickens County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Dimmit County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Donley County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Duval County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Eastland County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Ector County84.8%West Odessa CDP, Odessa city
Edwards County100%None: the whole county is eligible
El Paso County69.8%El Paso city, Socorro city, Horizon City city
Ellis County81.0%Midlothian city, Waxahachie city, Ennis city, Glenn Heights city
Erath County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Falls County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Fannin County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Fayette County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Fisher County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Floyd County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Foard County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Fort Bend County63.9%Sugar Land city, Rosenberg city, Missouri City city, Sienna CDP, Fresno CDP, Pecan Grove CDP, Stafford city, Mission Bend CDP, and 6 more
Franklin County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Freestone County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Frio County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Gaines County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Galveston County45.5%Texas City city, League City city, Galveston city, Friendswood city, La Marque city, Dickinson city, Kemah city, Jamaica Beach city, and 1 more
Garza County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Gillespie County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Glasscock County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Goliad County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Gonzales County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Gray County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Grayson County91.8%Sherman city, Denison city
Gregg County80.9%Longview city
Grimes County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Guadalupe County87.1%Seguin city, Schertz city, Cibolo city
Hale County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Hall County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Hamilton County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Hansford County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Hardeman County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Hardin County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Harris County18.2%Houston city, Pasadena city, Baytown city, Atascocita CDP, Spring CDP, La Porte city, Channelview CDP, Tomball city, and 25 more
Harrison County96.4%Marshall city
Hartley County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Haskell County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Hays County87.6%San Marcos city, Kyle city, Buda city
Hemphill County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Henderson County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Hidalgo County81.8%McAllen city, Edinburg city, Mission city, Pharr city, Weslaco city, San Juan city, Mercedes city, Hidalgo city, and 9 more
Hill County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Hockley County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Hood County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Hopkins County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Houston County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Howard County97.9%Big Spring city
Hudspeth County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Hunt County96.2%Greenville city
Hutchinson County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Irion County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Jack County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Jackson County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Jasper County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Jeff Davis County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Jefferson County74.6%Port Arthur city, Beaumont city, Port Neches city, Nederland city, Groves city, Central Gardens CDP, Beauxart Gardens CDP
Jim Hogg County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Jim Wells County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Johnson County89.8%Cleburne city, Burleson city
Jones County98.2%None mostly inside; part of the area is ineligible
Karnes County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Kaufman County93.0%Terrell city, Forney city, Elmo CDP
Kendall County98.2%Boerne city
Kenedy County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Kent County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Kerr County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Kimble County100%None: the whole county is eligible
King County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Kinney County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Kleberg County98.0%Kingsville city
Knox County100%None: the whole county is eligible
La Salle County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Lamar County95.9%Paris city
Lamb County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Lampasas County99.5%None mostly inside; part of the area is ineligible
Lavaca County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Lee County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Leon County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Liberty County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Limestone County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Lipscomb County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Live Oak County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Llano County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Loving County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Lubbock County84.3%Lubbock city
Lynn County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Madison County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Marion County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Martin County99.0%None mostly inside; part of the area is ineligible
Mason County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Matagorda County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Maverick County100%None: the whole county is eligible
McCulloch County100%None: the whole county is eligible
McLennan County88.1%Waco city, Bellmead city, Hewitt city, Woodway city, Beverly Hills city
McMullen County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Medina County99.9%None mostly inside; part of the area is ineligible
Menard County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Midland County82.9%Midland city
Milam County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Mills County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Mitchell County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Montague County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Montgomery County82.3%Conroe city, The Woodlands CDP, Shenandoah city, Oak Ridge North city, Panorama Village city, Woodloch town
Moore County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Morris County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Motley County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Nacogdoches County97.2%Nacogdoches city
Navarro County97.5%Corsicana city
Newton County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Nolan County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Nueces County77.7%Corpus Christi city
Ochiltree County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Oldham County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Orange County97.2%None mostly inside; part of the area is ineligible
Palo Pinto County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Panola County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Parker County95.6%Weatherford city
Parmer County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Pecos County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Polk County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Potter County92.4%Amarillo city
Presidio County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Rains County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Randall County96.1%None mostly inside; part of the area is ineligible
Reagan County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Real County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Red River County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Reeves County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Refugio County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Roberts County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Robertson County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Rockwall County50.4%Rockwall city, Fate city, Mobile City city
Runnels County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Rusk County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Sabine County100%None: the whole county is eligible
San Augustine County100%None: the whole county is eligible
San Jacinto County100%None: the whole county is eligible
San Patricio County98.2%Portland city
San Saba County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Schleicher County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Scurry County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Shackelford County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Shelby County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Sherman County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Smith County93.9%Tyler city
Somervell County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Starr County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Stephens County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Sterling County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Stonewall County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Sutton County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Swisher County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Tarrant County15.8%Fort Worth city, Arlington city, Mansfield city, Grapevine city, Rendon CDP, Southlake city, Keller city, North Richland Hills city, and 26 more
Taylor County89.6%Abilene city, Impact town
Terrell County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Terry County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Throckmorton County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Titus County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Tom Green County95.9%San Angelo city
Travis County47.4%Austin city, Pflugerville city, Lakeway city, Manor city, Hornsby Bend CDP, Steiner Ranch CDP, Barton Creek CDP, West Lake Hills city, and 8 more
Trinity County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Tyler County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Upshur County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Upton County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Uvalde County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Val Verde County99.3%Del Rio city
Van Zandt County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Victoria County95.8%Victoria city
Walker County94.6%Huntsville city
Waller County99.0%Katy city
Ward County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Washington County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Webb County96.7%Laredo city
Wharton County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Wheeler County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Wichita County88.5%Wichita Falls city
Wilbarger County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Willacy County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Williamson County74.5%Georgetown city, Leander city, Round Rock city, Cedar Park city, Hutto city, Brushy Creek CDP, Serenada CDP
Wilson County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Winkler County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Wise County99.9%None mostly inside; part of the area is ineligible
Wood County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Yoakum County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Young County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Zapata County100%None: the whole county is eligible
Zavala 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 Texas, the free census tract lookup shows the income level and QCT and DDA status, and Texas has 628 designated Opportunity Zone tracts (Opportunity Zone lookup).

Questions

Is Texas eligible for USDA loans?

Much of it is. About 96.1% of the state's area is outside USDA's ineligible areas (10,415 of about 265,735 square miles are ineligible). 190 counties are entirely eligible. Most people live in the larger towns, which are often ineligible, so check the specific address.

Which Texas counties have the least USDA eligible area?

Dallas County (6.5% eligible), Tarrant County (15.8% eligible), Harris County (18.2% eligible), Galveston County (45.5% eligible), Travis County (47.4% eligible). The share is of land area, by HeritageDeed's estimate from USDA's map; eligibility is decided for each property.

Which Texas towns are not eligible for USDA loans?

Places USDA's map shows as mostly inside an ineligible area include Dallas city, Fort Worth city, Houston city, Texas City city, Austin city, San Antonio city, Rockwall city and Plano 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 Texas 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 Texas last updated?

The ineligible areas on USDA's map for Texas 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

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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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