Eligibility maps
How our USDA address eligibility checks work
An address result is a preliminary location screen, not a loan approval. Our checker resolves the submitted address to coordinates and evaluates those coordinates against USDA's public eligibility map layer, then preserves the source details needed to verify the result.
Dylan Vigliotti · Founder and editorial reviewer, USDA.properties
Claims were checked against the primary sources listed below. See our editorial standards.
The four-step check
First, the submitted street address is standardized and geocoded. Second, the returned latitude and longitude are sent to USDA Rural Development's public eligibility map service. Third, the service response is translated into a preliminary location result. Fourth, the result page shows the address, coordinates, source, and check time so the buyer can reproduce and verify the screen.
A ZIP code, city name, county, or broad map pin is not a substitute for the exact property address. Eligibility boundaries can divide roads and neighborhoods.
What the result cannot decide
A location result does not decide household income eligibility, credit, repayment ability, property condition, appraisal acceptability, or final program approval. New addresses and imperfect geocoding can also place a point incorrectly.
Before relying on a result for an offer or loan decision, compare the plotted address with USDA's official eligibility site and ask an approved lender to confirm the current program requirements.