3FS Rural Home
USDA income limits for 2026: how to read them and where most of the country lands
Every year USDA publishes a 384-page table with an income limit for every county and metro area in the country. It is the single most important number in a USDA loan, and it is hard to read. Here is what it says for fiscal year 2026.
The one number most people need
For the Guaranteed loan, the limit is set at 115% of the area's median income, with a floor so that lower-cost areas are not punished. In FY2026 that floor is $122,800 for a household of 1 to 4 people, and $162,100 for 5 to 8 people.
We read the whole table. 2,065 of its 2,724 income areas, about three quarters of the country, use exactly that floor. If you live in a rural county almost anywhere in the South, Midwest or Mountain West, those are your Guaranteed limits.
Higher-cost metros go up from there:
| Area (FY2026) | Guaranteed, 1–4 people | Guaranteed, 5–8 people | Direct, 1–4 people | Source page |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Most rural counties (the floor) | $122,800 | $162,100 | varies by county | — |
| Atlanta metro, GA | $135,500 | $178,900 | $94,250 | 64 |
| Nashville metro, TN | $133,550 | $176,300 | $92,900 | 303 |
| Phoenix metro, AZ | $129,250 | $170,650 | $89,900 | 20 |
| Raleigh, NC | $152,600 | $201,450 | $106,150 | 241 |
| Denver metro, CO | $153,550 | $202,700 | $106,800 | 38 |
| Austin, TX | $153,550 | $202,700 | $106,800 | 311 |
The Direct loan limit is different everywhere
The Direct loan uses the low-income limit, roughly 80% of the area median, and it changes county by county. Across the table it runs from $43,700 to $196,500 for a family of four, with a middle value around $72,700. Two neighboring counties can differ by $20,000, which is why a map helps. Check your county and you will see both numbers with the page they came from.
Household size changes the limit
The table has one limit for 1 to 4 people and a higher one for 5 to 8. For 9 or more, USDA adds 8% of the 4-person limit for each extra person. A family of six in a floor county has a Guaranteed limit of $162,100, not $122,800. Always count everyone who will live in the home.
It is adjusted income, not your paycheck
USDA compares the limit to your adjusted annual income: the household's gross income minus deductions. The common ones are $480 for each child under 18 and for each full-time student, $400 for an elderly or disabled household member, and certain child-care and medical costs. A family grossing $130,000 with three kids may count as $128,560, and in some areas that is the difference.
Where the numbers come from
Everything above is from USDA Handbook HB-1-3550, Appendix 9, FY2026 Adjusted Income Limits, Procedure Notice 657, dated 07/13/2026. We publish the file's fingerprint on our Proof page so you can confirm we used the real thing. USDA can update limits during the year; when it does, we update too.
3FS Rural Home is a technology service by UnyKorn LLC. It is not USDA, not a lender and not a broker. Income limits come from USDA's FY2026 table (HB-1-3550 Appendix 9, PN 657, 07/13/2026) and can change. USDA or an approved lender makes every loan decision. This is general information, not financial or legal advice.