USDA eligibility map: Wisconsin
About 96.4% of Wisconsin's area is in USDA-eligible rural areas, by HeritageDeed's estimate from USDA Rural Development's published eligibility map, the 27th highest share among the 50 states, DC and Puerto Rico. 46 of 72 counties have no ineligible area at all, and Milwaukee County is entirely ineligible. 109 Census places in Wisconsin lie mostly inside ineligible areas, including Milwaukee city, Green Bay city, New Berlin city, Mequon city and Caledonia village.
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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 | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Ashland County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Barron County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Bayfield County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Brown County | 58.3% | Green Bay city, Suamico village, Hobart village, Howard village, Bellevue village, Ashwaubenon village, De Pere city, Allouez village |
| Buffalo County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Burnett County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Calumet County | 97.5% | None mostly inside; part of the area is ineligible |
| Chippewa County | 97.1% | Lake Hallie village, Chippewa Falls city |
| Clark 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 |
| Dane County | 75.5% | Madison city, Fitchburg city, Windsor village, Sun Prairie city, Middleton city, DeForest village, Verona city, Waunakee village, and 5 more |
| Dodge County | 99.5% | None mostly inside; part of the area is ineligible |
| Door County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Douglas County | 96.6% | Superior city |
| Dunn County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Eau Claire County | 93.8% | Eau Claire city, Altoona city, Seymour CDP |
| Florence County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Fond du Lac County | 95.6% | Fond du Lac city, North Fond du Lac village |
| Forest County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Grant County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Green County | 99.0% | Monroe city |
| Green Lake County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Iowa County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Iron County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Jackson County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Jefferson County | 98.6% | Watertown city, Lac La Belle village |
| Juneau County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Kenosha County | 76.1% | Pleasant Prairie village, Kenosha city |
| Kewaunee County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| La Crosse County | 90.4% | La Crosse city, Onalaska city, Holmen village, French Island CDP |
| Lafayette County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Langlade County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Lincoln County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Manitowoc County | 95.9% | Manitowoc city |
| Marathon County | 93.6% | Rib Mountain village, Weston village, Wausau city, Rothschild village, Schofield city |
| Marinette County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Marquette County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Menominee County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Milwaukee County | 0% | Milwaukee city, Franklin city, Oak Creek city, Wauwatosa city, Greenfield city, West Allis city, Glendale city, Greendale village, and 11 more |
| Monroe County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Oconto County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Oneida County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Outagamie County | 85.7% | Appleton city, Kaukauna city, Little Chute village, Kimberly village, Combined Locks village |
| Ozaukee County | 67.4% | Mequon city, Port Washington city, Grafton village, Cedarburg city, Thiensville village |
| Pepin County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Pierce County | 99.3% | None mostly inside; part of the area is ineligible |
| Polk County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Portage County | 94.5% | Stevens Point city, Plover village, Whiting village, Park Ridge village |
| Price County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Racine County | 68.2% | Caledonia village, Mount Pleasant village, Racine city, Burlington city, Sturtevant village, Wind Point village, Elmwood Park village, North Bay village |
| Richland County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Rock County | 88.1% | Janesville city, Beloit city |
| Rusk County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Sauk County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Sawyer County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Shawano County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Sheboygan County | 94.3% | Sheboygan city |
| St. Croix County | 98.2% | Hudson city, River Falls city, North Hudson village |
| Taylor County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Trempealeau County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Vernon County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Vilas County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Walworth County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Washburn County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Washington County | 83.1% | Germantown village, West Bend city, Hartford city |
| Waukesha County | 58.7% | New Berlin city, Muskego city, Menomonee Falls village, Brookfield city, Waukesha city, Pewaukee city, Oconomowoc city, Sussex village, and 3 more |
| Waupaca County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Waushara County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Winnebago County | 85.0% | Oshkosh city, Fox Crossing village, Neenah city, Menasha city |
| Wood 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 Wisconsin, the free census tract lookup shows the income level and QCT and DDA status, and Wisconsin has 120 designated Opportunity Zone tracts (Opportunity Zone lookup).
Questions
Is Wisconsin eligible for USDA loans?
Much of it is. About 96.4% of the state's area is outside USDA's ineligible areas (2,037 of about 55,993 square miles are ineligible). 46 counties are entirely eligible. Most people live in the larger towns, which are often ineligible, so check the specific address.
Which Wisconsin counties have the least USDA eligible area?
Milwaukee County (0% eligible), Brown County (58.3% eligible), Waukesha County (58.7% eligible), Ozaukee County (67.4% eligible), Racine County (68.2% eligible). The share is of land area, by HeritageDeed's estimate from USDA's map; eligibility is decided for each property.
Which Wisconsin towns are not eligible for USDA loans?
Places USDA's map shows as mostly inside an ineligible area include Milwaukee city, Green Bay city, New Berlin city, Mequon city, Caledonia village, Madison city, Pleasant Prairie village and Germantown village. 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 Wisconsin 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 Wisconsin last updated?
The ineligible areas on USDA's map for Wisconsin 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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