What is the USDA loan income limit in North Carolina?

In most North Carolina 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 North Carolina?

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) North Carolina 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 North Carolina county Direct income limit on USDA's eligibility portal under "Single Family Housing Direct."

Which areas of North Carolina are USDA eligible?

The eastern Coastal Plain and the western Appalachian counties beyond the Charlotte and Triangle metros are largely USDA-eligible. The largest urbanized cities — Charlotte, Raleigh and Greensboro — 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 North Carolina?

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 North Carolina?

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 North Carolina 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.

What is the maximum USDA loan amount in North Carolina?

It depends which USDA program you mean, and the two answers are different. The Section 502 Guaranteed loan — the one most North Carolina buyers use — publishes no maximum loan amount and no county loan limits at all; the ceiling is whatever a USDA-approved lender will underwrite against the 29% PITI / 41% total-debt ratio guidelines, up to 100% of the appraised value. The Section 502 Direct loan, which USDA funds itself, does publish a per-county "area loan limit": $324,700 in 91 of North Carolina's 100 counties, rising to $483,000 in Perquimans County, from the USDA table effective 2026-02-10.

Are there USDA loan limits by county in North Carolina?

Only for the Section 502 Direct program. USDA lists a maximum area loan limit for every North Carolina county — $324,700 across most of the state, with 9 higher-cost counties (Perquimans, Camden, Currituck, Gates, Dare, Chatham, Durham, Orange and Person) priced above it. The Section 502 Guaranteed program has no county loan limits, which is where USDA differs from FHA and VA: what varies by North Carolina county on the Guaranteed side is the household income limit, not the loan size. Confirm the current county row in USDA's own area-loan-limit table before relying on a figure.

USDA by state

USDA loan income limits and eligible areas in North Carolina

North Carolina 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 2026-07-23

Open live precheck

North Carolina income limit

In most North Carolina 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 North Carolina

The eastern Coastal Plain and the western Appalachian counties beyond the Charlotte and Triangle metros are largely USDA-eligible. The urbanized cores of Charlotte, Raleigh and Greensboro are excluded from the USDA map; their surrounding rural communities generally remain eligible.

USDA loan basics

Why buyers choose a USDA loan in North Carolina

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 North Carolina 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 North Carolina 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 North Carolina outside Charlotte 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 North Carolina 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 North Carolina

USDA runs two different Section 502 home-loan programs with two different income limits: the Guaranteed loan caps household income at 115% of the North Carolina 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 North Carolina 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 North Carolina 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 North Carolina county Direct limit on USDA's eligibility portal (choose “Single Family Housing Direct”).

USDA Section 502 Direct program Look up North Carolina Direct income limits

Eligible-area examples

Representative USDA-eligible-area communities in North Carolina

In North Carolina, small cities well under USDA's 35,000-person rural-area population ceiling and outside Charlotte, Raleigh and Greensboro generally sit inside the USDA Section 502 eligible-area map — Kinston, Lumberton, Elizabeth City and Roanoke Rapids are representative examples, each a rural North Carolina city under 35,000 residents at the 2020 Census. USDA sets eligibility address by address, so confirm the exact street address in the precheck.

These name the kind of eligible-area community, not a determination for any single address: USDA boundaries can run mid-street even inside a generally eligible town, and the excluded metros — Charlotte, Raleigh and Greensboro — and their immediate suburbs stay off the map.

Loan limits

Is there a maximum USDA loan amount in North Carolina?

The USDA Section 502 Guaranteed loan has no maximum loan amount and no county loan limits. That is the single biggest difference between USDA and FHA or VA, and it is why a “North Carolina USDA loan limit” search usually returns the wrong number. On the Guaranteed side your loan size is set by repayment ability — the 29% PITI and 41% total-debt ratio guidelines — against up to 100% of the appraised value. What varies by North Carolina county on that program is the household income limit, not the loan size.

The Section 502 Directloan, which USDA funds and services itself, is the program that does publish a per-county cap — the “area loan limit.” USDA lists $324,700 in 91 of North Carolina's 100 counties, effective 2026-02-10, with 9 counties priced higher.

North Carolina counties	Direct area loan limit	Why
Perquimans	$483,000	the highest Direct area loan limit USDA lists anywhere in North Carolina
Camden, Currituck and Gates	$454,700	the northeastern counties USDA prices with the Virginia Beach–Norfolk market
Dare	$431,200	the Outer Banks, where coastal values sit well above the statewide base
Chatham, Durham, Orange and Person	$380,800	the Durham–Chapel Hill side of the Triangle
All other 91 counties	$324,700	the statewide base limit — including Mecklenburg, Wake, Guilford, Buncombe and New Hanover, which sit at the base despite being North Carolina's larger markets

Transcribed from USDA's published Section 502 Direct area loan limit table on 2026-07-23 (maximum limits effective 2026-02-10, minimum limits effective 2026-07-13). USDA revises this file in place, so check the current county row before relying on a figure — and note that a Direct area loan limit is a program cap, not an appraisal or an approval. USDA and your lender make the final determination.

Deep dive

A USDA Guaranteed Loan in North Carolina 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.

North Carolina income limits by household size

USDA HB-1-3555 Appendix 5 sets the moderate-income limit per county and household-size band. Across most North Carolina 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 North Carolina 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 North Carolina 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 North Carolina address

USDA eligibility is address-level, not ZIP-level: one ZIP can straddle eligible and ineligible ground, and boundaries often run mid-street near Charlotte and other urbanized edges. Enter a complete North Carolina 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 North Carolina address, county, household size, income, and check date. A USDA-approved lender and the North Carolina 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 North Carolina — answers to the questions buyers ask

What is the USDA loan income limit in North Carolina?: In most North Carolina 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 North Carolina?: 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) North Carolina 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 North Carolina county Direct income limit on USDA's eligibility portal under "Single Family Housing Direct."
Which areas of North Carolina are USDA eligible?: The eastern Coastal Plain and the western Appalachian counties beyond the Charlotte and Triangle metros are largely USDA-eligible. The largest urbanized cities — Charlotte, Raleigh and Greensboro — 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 North Carolina?: 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 North Carolina?: 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 North Carolina 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 North Carolina town or suburb USDA eligible?: USDA eligibility is decided address by address, but as a rule the small North Carolina cities well under USDA's 35,000-person rural-area population ceiling and outside Charlotte, Raleigh and Greensboro sit inside the USDA Section 502 eligible-area map — Kinston, Lumberton, Elizabeth City and Roanoke Rapids are representative examples (each is a rural North Carolina city under 35,000 residents at the 2020 Census). A ZIP or town name is only a starting point because boundaries can run mid-street, so enter the exact street address in the precheck to confirm.
What is the maximum USDA loan amount in North Carolina?: It depends which USDA program you mean, and the two answers are different. The Section 502 Guaranteed loan — the one most North Carolina buyers use — publishes no maximum loan amount and no county loan limits at all; the ceiling is whatever a USDA-approved lender will underwrite against the 29% PITI / 41% total-debt ratio guidelines, up to 100% of the appraised value. The Section 502 Direct loan, which USDA funds itself, does publish a per-county "area loan limit": $324,700 in 91 of North Carolina's 100 counties, rising to $483,000 in Perquimans County, from the USDA table effective 2026-02-10.
Are there USDA loan limits by county in North Carolina?: Only for the Section 502 Direct program. USDA lists a maximum area loan limit for every North Carolina county — $324,700 across most of the state, with 9 higher-cost counties (Perquimans, Camden, Currituck, Gates, Dare, Chatham, Durham, Orange and Person) priced above it. The Section 502 Guaranteed program has no county loan limits, which is where USDA differs from FHA and VA: what varies by North Carolina county on the Guaranteed side is the household income limit, not the loan size. Confirm the current county row in USDA's own area-loan-limit table before relying on a figure.

Primary sources

Verified USDA sources for North Carolina

USDA Single Family Housing income limits (HB-1-3555 Appendix 5, FY 2026 PN 657) — North CarolinaDate retrieved: 2026-07-18
USDA Rural Development Eligibility portal (property area)Date retrieved: 2026-06-26
USDA Rural Development state offices (find the North Carolina 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
USDA Section 502 Direct area loan limits (county table) — North CarolinaDate retrieved: 2026-07-23

Related checks

Pair the North Carolina income figures with the live address precheck and the national income-limit reference, then use the regional links to compare nearby state limits. If you plan to build instead of buy, the same North Carolina property-map and income gates also apply to USDA's single-close construction option.

USDA income limits by state and county Check a property address USDA income eligibility map USDA construction loan guide South Carolina USDA Direct loan limits Georgia USDA eligibility map USDA loans in North Dakota USDA loans in Ohio 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 North Carolina.