USDA Loans in Texas: 2026 Income Limits by Metro, Eligible Towns & $0 Down
USDA income limits in Texas are $122,800 for a 1-4 person household statewide, rising to $153,550 near Austin and $139,300 near Dallas, with $0 down. The eligible towns sit 30 to 55 miles outside the big metros.
We read the live USDA map for the exact address. Informational only. USDA makes the final call on a complete application.
USDA income limits in Texas for 2026
The 2026 USDA income limit for most of Texas is $122,800 for a household of one to four people and $162,100 for five to eight, effective July 13, 2026 under USDA Procedure Notice 657. Several Texas metros run well above that floor because their area median incomes are higher.
| Texas area | Household of 1-4 | Household of 5-8 |
|---|---|---|
| Austin-Round Rock metro and Kendall County | $153,550 | $202,700 |
| Brazoria County (Houston area) | $144,900 | $191,300 |
| Dallas metro | $139,300 | $183,900 |
| Fort Worth-Arlington metro | $126,850 | $167,450 |
| Most other Texas counties | $122,800 | $162,100 |
USDA Guaranteed income limits, effective July 13, 2026. Confirm your county on the USDA income eligibility tool.
Here is the irony worth knowing: Austin has one of the highest USDA income limits in Texas at $153,550, but almost none of the Austin metro is on the USDA map, so that high limit only helps in the thin eligible fringe out in Bastrop and Caldwell counties. USDA counts the whole household, not just the borrowers, per USDA Handbook HB-1-3555: "Income from all adult household members, not just parties to the note, must be considered."
Which Texas counties and towns qualify?
The pattern is the same around every Texas metro: the urban core is ineligible, the exurb counties 30 to 55 miles out qualify. Eligibility is per address, so confirm the exact pin.
- Near Houston: Waller County (Waller, Hempstead), plus Austin, Colorado, and Wharton counties. Waller sits about 50 miles northwest of downtown.
- Near Dallas-Fort Worth: Kaufman County (Kaufman, Terrell fringe), Hunt, and the edges of Ellis and Van Zandt.
- Near Austin: Bastrop County (Elgin, Bastrop edges), Caldwell County (Lockhart), and Lee and Fayette.
- Near San Antonio: Atascosa (Poteet), Medina (Castroville), and Wilson (La Vernia) counties. Kendall County carries the higher $153,550 limit.
- El Paso: the affordability outlier, with a county median home value around $180,400, far below the state's $283,800. The eligible fringe there pairs $0 down with genuinely low prices.
The Texas towns that are flipping ineligible
These are the addresses people search, and the answer is changing fast. North of Dallas, Anna has grown to about 24,330 people and has largely flipped ineligible; Aubrey is close behind. Near Austin, Taylor is booming on the new Samsung plant and is flipping, and Liberty Hill is one of the fastest-growing towns in the state. Do not trust last year's status in these corridors. An address that qualified recently may not now, so check the exact one with the checker at the top of this page.
Confirmed-eligible smaller Texas towns
These sit comfortably in eligible territory, with verified populations and median home values (Census, 2024):
- Near Houston: Waller (3,108, $156,900) and Hempstead (6,137, $160,700).
- Near DFW: Kaufman (8,538, $221,800) and Farmersville (4,018, $289,400).
- Near San Antonio: Poteet (2,910, $119,200, the most affordable), Castroville (3,092, $300,000), and La Vernia (1,095, $347,400).
Affordability and assistance
Texas's median household income is about $78,476 (Census, 2024), roughly 57% under the $122,800 floor, so the large majority of rural Texas households qualify on income. USDA sets no maximum loan amount, so the constraint is income and the appraisal. On assistance, TSAHC offers down-payment help as a grant or a forgivable second, with a 620 minimum credit score, and TDHCA runs My First Texas Home; both can pair with a USDA loan to go toward closing costs. Program amounts and limits change, so confirm current terms with a TSAHC or TDHCA participating lender.
Texas USDA requirements at a glance
- Down payment: $0. USDA finances 100% of the price.
- Credit: no hard USDA minimum; 640 clears the automated system.
- Income: household income within $122,800 in most counties, higher near Austin, Dallas, Houston, and Fort Worth.
- Location: the home must sit in a USDA-eligible area 30 to 55 miles outside the big metros; check per address.
- Loan amount: no maximum; bounded by income and the appraisal.
Common questions
What is the 2026 USDA income limit in Texas?
For most Texas counties, the 2026 USDA income limit is $122,800 for a household of one to four people and $162,100 for five to eight, effective July 13, 2026. Several metros run higher: about $153,550 near Austin and in Kendall County, $144,900 in Brazoria County, $139,300 in the Dallas metro, and $126,850 in Fort Worth-Arlington.
Can I use a USDA loan in Houston, Dallas, Austin, or San Antonio?
Not in the urban cores, but yes in the eligible exurb counties 30 to 55 miles out. Near Houston that means Waller County; near Dallas-Fort Worth, Kaufman County; near Austin, Bastrop and Caldwell; near San Antonio, Atascosa, Medina, and Wilson. The metros themselves are off the USDA map. Confirm the exact address.
Is Anna or Taylor, Texas still USDA-eligible in 2026?
Increasingly not. Anna, north of Dallas, has grown to about 24,330 people and has largely flipped ineligible, and Taylor near Austin is flipping as the new Samsung plant drives growth. USDA re-draws its map as areas urbanize, so an address that qualified a year ago may not now. Check the specific pin on the USDA map.
What Texas towns near Houston qualify for a USDA loan?
Waller and Hempstead in Waller County, about 50 miles northwest of downtown Houston, are broadly eligible, along with parts of Austin, Colorado, and Wharton counties. Harris County's core is not eligible. These small towns pair USDA's $0 down with lower prices, though every specific address should be confirmed on the USDA map.
Is there a maximum USDA loan amount in Texas?
No. The USDA Guaranteed program sets no maximum loan amount in Texas. Your borrowing limit is what your household income supports under the debt-to-income guidelines plus the appraised value, not a fixed price cap. The area loan limits people sometimes read about apply to the separate USDA Direct program.
Why does my affordable Texas suburb not qualify when the small town next to it does?
Because USDA draws its map around urbanized areas, not by how a place feels. As a suburb fills in and joins a metro's built-up area, it is carved out, while a smaller town a few miles further out stays rural and eligible. That is why two nearby communities can get opposite answers. Always check the exact address.
Can I pair Texas down-payment assistance with a USDA loan?
Yes. TSAHC provides assistance as a grant or a forgivable second with a 620 minimum credit score, and TDHCA's My First Texas Home offers help too. Because USDA already needs no down payment, the assistance usually goes toward closing costs. Confirm the current amounts and whether a specific product pairs with USDA through a participating lender.
How do you check if a Texas address is USDA-eligible?
Enter the exact street address into the USDA property eligibility map at eligibility.sc.egov.usda.gov, or use the checker at the top of this page. This is essential in Texas, where the fast-growing corridors north of Dallas and around Austin are flipping ineligible between map updates, so the town name alone will not tell you.