USDA Loans in Arizona: 2026 Income Limits, the Pinal County Belt & Eligible Towns
USDA income limits in Arizona are $122,800 for a 1-4 person household and $162,100 for 5-8, rising to $129,250 in the Phoenix metro, with $0 down. Phoenix and Tucson are off the map, but the rural belt around them qualifies.
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 Arizona for 2026
The 2026 USDA income limit for most of Arizona 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. The Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler metro area runs higher, at $129,250 and $170,650. There is a useful quirk in that: the Phoenix metro covers both Maricopa and Pinal counties, and while Maricopa's developed core is USDA-ineligible, the eligible Pinal County towns like Casa Grande, Florence, and Arizona City sit inside the same metro, so they qualify under the higher $129,250 limit, not the floor.
| Arizona area | Household of 1-4 | Household of 5-8 |
|---|---|---|
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler metro (incl. eligible Pinal towns) | $129,250 | $170,650 |
| Most other Arizona counties | $122,800 | $162,100 |
USDA Guaranteed income limits, effective July 13, 2026. Confirm your county on the USDA income eligibility tool.
USDA counts the household, not the borrower. From USDA Handbook HB-1-3555:
"Income from all adult household members, not just parties to the note, must be considered."
Arizona's median household income is about $79,964 (Census, 2024), well under either limit, so income is rarely the obstacle. Location is.
Which parts of Arizona are USDA-eligible?
Here is the Arizona reality: most of the state's land is eligible, but the small ineligible slice is where most people live. The Phoenix metro, Phoenix, Mesa, Chandler, Gilbert, Tempe, Scottsdale, Glendale, Peoria, and Surprise, is out, and so is the Tucson core. Outside those, the eligible belt covers most of Pinal County, Yavapai, Cochise, Mohave, Navajo and Apache, and Coconino. In those rural counties, median home values run below the state median of $394,500, so USDA's $0 down is a strong fit: Cochise around $232,000, Navajo around $190,000, Mohave around $311,000.
Eligible Arizona towns near the metros
These are the reliably eligible options, with verified median household income and median home value (Census, 2024):
- The Pinal belt south of Phoenix: Florence ($79,644 income, $346,300 value), Arizona City ($66,420 / $244,100), and Casa Grande. These qualify under the higher Phoenix-metro income limit.
- Near Tucson: Green Valley ($62,063 / $293,500) about 25 miles south, and Benson ($49,346 / $148,900) about 45 miles southeast.
- Rural and mountain Arizona: Wickenburg ($67,600 / $470,300) northwest of Phoenix, Payson ($67,710 / $382,400) in the Rim Country, and Cottonwood ($48,448 / $324,100) in the Verde Valley.
One caution: the fast-growing Phoenix exurbs everyone names, Queen Creek, San Tan Valley, the city of Maricopa, Coolidge, and the Buckeye fringe, are either ineligible now or flipping as they fill in. Do not assume a whole town qualifies; check the exact address with the checker at the top of this page.
Arizona down-payment assistance: Home Plus, not Home in Five
Arizona's statewide Home Plus program, from the state housing authority, provides up to 4% of the loan in down-payment and closing-cost assistance, forgiven after 60 months, and it works with USDA loans in any eligible county. Its income cap is about $155,386, higher than USDA's, so when you stack the two, USDA's limit is the binding one. One correction that trips buyers up: Home in Five is a Maricopa County program, and because Maricopa's core is USDA-ineligible, Home in Five and USDA rarely overlap. For a USDA buyer in the Pinal belt or rural Arizona, Home Plus is the program to use. Confirm current terms on the Home Plus site.
Arizona USDA requirements at a glance
- Down payment: $0. USDA finances 100% of the price.
- Credit: no hard USDA minimum; 640 clears the automated system and Home Plus.
- Income: household income within $122,800, or $129,250 in the Phoenix metro including the eligible Pinal towns.
- Location: the home must sit in a USDA-eligible area; the Phoenix and Tucson cores are not, so check per address.
- Fees: a 1.0% upfront guarantee fee and a 0.35% annual fee, in place of PMI.
Common questions
Can I get a USDA loan in Phoenix or Tucson?
Generally no. The Phoenix metro, including Mesa, Chandler, Gilbert, Scottsdale, and the surrounding suburbs, and the Tucson urban core are outside USDA-eligible rural areas. The eligible options sit in the surrounding belt: the Pinal County towns like Casa Grande and Florence near Phoenix, and Green Valley and Benson near Tucson. Confirm any exact address on the USDA map.
What is the 2026 USDA income limit in Arizona?
For most Arizona 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. The Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler metro runs higher at $129,250 and $170,650, and the eligible Pinal County towns fall inside that metro, so they use the higher figure.
Do Casa Grande and Florence qualify for USDA loans?
Most of the Pinal County belt around Casa Grande, Florence, and Arizona City is USDA-eligible, and because these towns sit in the Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler metro, they use the higher $129,250 income limit for a household of four rather than the state floor. Confirm the exact address on the USDA map, since the belt's edges shift as the area grows.
Is Queen Creek or San Tan Valley USDA-eligible?
These fast-growing Phoenix exurbs are flip-risk. Parts have already lost eligibility as they have filled in, and more will at the next USDA map update. Do not assume the whole town qualifies. Check the specific address on the USDA eligibility map, because two houses a mile apart can get different answers in these growth areas.
Is my income too high for USDA in Arizona?
Probably not. Arizona's median household income of about $79,964 sits well below the USDA limit of $122,800, or $129,250 in the Phoenix metro. Most Arizona households qualify on income wherever the property location is eligible. In Arizona, the usual constraint is finding an eligible rural address, not the income cap.
Can I combine Home Plus with a USDA loan in Arizona?
Yes. Arizona's statewide Home Plus program pairs with USDA and adds up to 4% in assistance, forgiven after 60 months. When you stack them, USDA's income limit is the binding cap. Note that Home in Five is a separate Maricopa County program, and because Maricopa's core is USDA-ineligible, it rarely works with a USDA loan; Home Plus is the one to use.
Is there a maximum USDA loan amount in Arizona?
No. The USDA Guaranteed program sets no maximum loan amount in Arizona. Your borrowing limit is what your household income supports under the debt-to-income guidelines plus the appraised value. In the eligible rural counties, median home values run below the state median, so that ceiling comfortably covers typical homes there.
How do you check if an Arizona 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 matters in Arizona because the eligible line runs close to the Phoenix and Tucson metros, and the fast-growing exurbs like Queen Creek and the city of Maricopa are flipping ineligible between map updates.