What is the USDA loan income limit in Montana?

In most Montana counties the USDA Guaranteed Loan moderate-income limit is $122,800 for a 1-4 person household and $162,100 for a 5-8 person household, from the FY 2026 USDA table effective 07/13/2026. Higher-cost metro counties can have higher limits, so confirm the exact county row in USDA's income-limit PDF.

What is the USDA Section 502 Direct loan income limit in Montana?

The Direct loan uses lower income limits than the Guaranteed program on this page. Section 502 Direct is reserved for low-income (at or below 80% of area median income) and very-low-income (at or below 50% of AMI) Montana households, versus the moderate-income 115%-of-AMI ceiling that produces the $122,800 / $162,100 Guaranteed figures. USDA funds the Direct loan itself and can add a payment-assistance subsidy. Look up the exact Montana county Direct income limit on USDA's eligibility portal under "Single Family Housing Direct."

Which areas of Montana are USDA eligible?

Nearly all of Montana outside its handful of small cities — the High Plains east and the mountain valleys west — is USDA-eligible. The largest urbanized cities — Billings, Missoula and Great Falls — and their immediate suburbs are excluded from the USDA Section 502 Guaranteed Loan eligible-area map, while the surrounding smaller communities generally remain eligible. Always confirm a specific address, because boundaries can run mid-street.

Is the USDA income limit the most I can borrow in Montana?

No. The income limit only screens whether your household is eligible for the program. The loan amount is set separately by a USDA-approved lender using repayment income and the 29% PITI / 41% total-debt ratio guidelines; USDA sets no maximum loan amount.

Do you need a down payment for a USDA loan in Montana?

No. The USDA Section 502 Guaranteed Loan finances 100% of the appraised value with no down payment, making it one of the only true zero-down mortgages available to Montana buyers who meet the eligible-area and income tests. A 1.00% upfront guarantee fee can be rolled into the loan and a 0.35% annual fee is spread across the monthly payment, so out-of-pocket cash at closing can be limited to a deposit and closing costs.

Is a specific Montana town or suburb USDA eligible?

USDA eligibility is decided address by address. As a rule the Montana communities well under USDA's 35,000-person rural-area population ceiling and outside Billings, Missoula and Great Falls stay inside the eligible-area map, while those metros and their immediate suburbs are excluded. A ZIP or town name is only a starting point — enter the exact street address in the precheck to confirm.

USDA by state

USDA loan income limits and eligible areas in Montana

Montana USDA Section 502 Guaranteed Loan income limits, the eligible-area context for its rural communities, and the official USDA sources behind both — then run the live address and income precheck.

Income limits verified 2026-07-18

Source review by Rural Home Check; last reviewed 2026-07-18

Open live precheck

Montana income limit

In most Montana counties the USDA Guaranteed Loan moderate-income limit is $122,800 for a 1-4 person household and $162,100 for a 5-8 person household (FY 2026 USDA table, PN 657, effective 07/13/2026).

Eligible areas in Montana

Nearly all of Montana outside its handful of small cities — the High Plains east and the mountain valleys west — is USDA-eligible. The urbanized cores of Billings, Missoula and Great Falls are excluded from the USDA map; their surrounding rural communities generally remain eligible.

USDA loan basics

Why buyers choose a USDA loan in Montana

USDA generally defines an eligible rural area as one with a population of 35,000 or less, and for a home inside that map the Section 502 Guaranteed Loan finances 100% of the appraised value with no down payment — the two features that pull Montana buyers toward USDA over FHA or conventional financing (USDA program facts verified 2026-06-26).

$0 down payment

The Section 502 Guaranteed Loan funds 100% of the appraised value, so qualified Montana buyers bring no down payment. A 1.00% upfront guarantee fee is financeable and a 0.35% annual fee is built into the monthly payment.

Population 35,000 or less

An area qualifies as USDA “rural” when its population is 35,000 or less and it is rural in character — which is why most of Montana outside Billings and the other large metros stays on the eligible-area map.

Income up to 115% of AMI

The program serves low- and moderate-income households — generally up to 115% of the area median income for the Montana county, which is how USDA derives the $122,800 / $162,100 limits above.

Direct vs. Guaranteed

Section 502 Direct vs. Guaranteed loan income limits in Montana

USDA runs two different Section 502 home-loan programs with two different income limits: the Guaranteed loan caps household income at 115% of the Montana county area median income (the $122,800 / $162,100 figures on this page), while the Direct loan is far tighter — reserved for low-income (at or below 80% of AMI) and very-low-income (at or below 50% of AMI) households. This precheck and every income figure above cover the Guaranteed program; the Direct program uses its own, lower county limits (USDA program facts verified 2026-07-15).

Section 502 Guaranteed — up to 115% of AMI

A USDA-approved private lender funds the loan and USDA guarantees it. Moderate-income Montana households up to 115% of the county AMI qualify, which is how USDA derives the $122,800 (1-4) / $162,100 (5-8) limits this page tracks. No down payment; a 1.00% upfront and 0.35% annual guarantee fee apply.

Section 502 Direct — very-low (≤50%) / low (≤80%) of AMI

USDA funds the loan directly and can add a payment-assistance subsidy that lowers the effective interest rate for the lowest-income Montana buyers. Because the income ceiling is 50-80% of county AMI rather than 115%, the Direct income limits are lower than the figures on this page — look up the exact Montana county Direct limit on USDA's eligibility portal (choose “Single Family Housing Direct”).

USDA Section 502 Direct program Look up Montana Direct income limits

Deep dive

A USDA Guaranteed Loan in Montana turns on two separate USDA tests: whether the property sits in a USDA-eligible rural area, and whether household income is within the county income limit. Both must hold before a lender underwrites the file.

Montana income limits by household size

USDA HB-1-3555 Appendix 5 sets the moderate-income limit per county and household-size band. Across most Montana counties the floor is $122,800 (1-4 people) and $162,100 (5-8 people). For households above eight, USDA adds 8% of the four-person limit per additional person. The figure is adjusted annual household income after USDA's allowable deductions, not gross pay.

Where Montana limits can be higher

Higher-cost metro counties can exceed the $122,800 / $162,100 floor. This precheck applies the national floor when a specific Montana county row has not been ingested and labels it as a fallback, so confirm the exact county or metro row in USDA's official income-limit PDF.

Checking a Montana address

USDA eligibility is address-level, not ZIP-level: one ZIP can straddle eligible and ineligible ground, and boundaries often run mid-street near Billings and other urbanized edges. Enter a complete Montana street address in the live precheck to geocode the point and test it against USDA Rural Development's ineligible-area layer.

After the precheck

Save the Montana address, county, household size, income, and check date. A USDA-approved lender and the Montana USDA Rural Development state office confirm the official county row and final eligibility. Income eligibility is not a loan amount — the lender sets that with the 29% PITI / 41% total-debt ratios.

Common questions

USDA loans in Montana — answers to the questions buyers ask

What is the USDA loan income limit in Montana?: In most Montana counties the USDA Guaranteed Loan moderate-income limit is $122,800 for a 1-4 person household and $162,100 for a 5-8 person household, from the FY 2026 USDA table effective 07/13/2026. Higher-cost metro counties can have higher limits, so confirm the exact county row in USDA's income-limit PDF.
What is the USDA Section 502 Direct loan income limit in Montana?: The Direct loan uses lower income limits than the Guaranteed program on this page. Section 502 Direct is reserved for low-income (at or below 80% of area median income) and very-low-income (at or below 50% of AMI) Montana households, versus the moderate-income 115%-of-AMI ceiling that produces the $122,800 / $162,100 Guaranteed figures. USDA funds the Direct loan itself and can add a payment-assistance subsidy. Look up the exact Montana county Direct income limit on USDA's eligibility portal under "Single Family Housing Direct."
Which areas of Montana are USDA eligible?: Nearly all of Montana outside its handful of small cities — the High Plains east and the mountain valleys west — is USDA-eligible. The largest urbanized cities — Billings, Missoula and Great Falls — and their immediate suburbs are excluded from the USDA Section 502 Guaranteed Loan eligible-area map, while the surrounding smaller communities generally remain eligible. Always confirm a specific address, because boundaries can run mid-street.
Is the USDA income limit the most I can borrow in Montana?: No. The income limit only screens whether your household is eligible for the program. The loan amount is set separately by a USDA-approved lender using repayment income and the 29% PITI / 41% total-debt ratio guidelines; USDA sets no maximum loan amount.
Do you need a down payment for a USDA loan in Montana?: No. The USDA Section 502 Guaranteed Loan finances 100% of the appraised value with no down payment, making it one of the only true zero-down mortgages available to Montana buyers who meet the eligible-area and income tests. A 1.00% upfront guarantee fee can be rolled into the loan and a 0.35% annual fee is spread across the monthly payment, so out-of-pocket cash at closing can be limited to a deposit and closing costs.
Is a specific Montana town or suburb USDA eligible?: USDA eligibility is decided address by address. As a rule the Montana communities well under USDA's 35,000-person rural-area population ceiling and outside Billings, Missoula and Great Falls stay inside the eligible-area map, while those metros and their immediate suburbs are excluded. A ZIP or town name is only a starting point — enter the exact street address in the precheck to confirm.

Primary sources

Verified USDA sources for Montana

USDA Single Family Housing income limits (HB-1-3555 Appendix 5, FY 2026 PN 657) — MontanaDate retrieved: 2026-07-18
USDA Rural Development Eligibility portal (property area)Date retrieved: 2026-06-26
USDA Rural Development state offices (find the Montana office)Date retrieved: 2026-06-26
U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts (2020 Census place populations)Date retrieved: 2026-07-12
USDA Single Family Housing Guaranteed Loan ProgramDate retrieved: 2026-06-26
USDA Single Family Housing Direct Home Loans (Section 502 Direct)Date retrieved: 2026-07-15

Related checks

Pair the Montana income figures with the live address precheck and the national income-limit reference, then compare neighboring states.

USDA income limits by state and county Check a property address USDA income eligibility map USDA loans in Nebraska USDA loans in Nevada All states

Sources

USDA area layerreadyVerified 2026-07-18 Census geocoderaddress inputVerified 2026-07-18 USDA income limitsFY 2026 snapshotUSDA FY 2026 income limits (effective 07/13/2026, PN 657); Verified 2026-07-18

This is an independent planning aid, not a USDA determination. USDA Rural Development indicates whether an address sits in an eligible area as of the check date; USDA and a USDA-approved lender make the final property and income eligibility decision in Montana.