USDA loan snapshot for California
| Item | Estimate |
|---|---|
| Minimum down payment | 0% |
| Minimum credit score | Typically 640 for automated approval |
| Typical CA home value | $695,400 |
| 3.5% down on typical home | $24,339 |
| 20% down on typical home | $139,080 |
| Avg. effective property tax | 0.71%/yr (~$410/mo) |
| Income for typical home (31% rule) | $214,000 |
Rate assumption: 7.18% (Freddie Mac PMMS 30-year fixed average, week of November 5, 2026). Change it in the payment calculator.
Which California programs pair with USDA loans?
- MyHome Assistance: A deferred-payment junior loan that can cover part of the down payment or closing costs for first-time buyers.
- Dream For All Shared Appreciation: When funded, provides a large down payment loan repaid with a share of future appreciation; rounds open periodically.
- CalPLUS: A first mortgage with a slightly higher rate paired with closing cost assistance.
Details and current limits: California Housing Finance Agency (CalHFA).
How do I know if a home is USDA eligible?
Use the USDA eligibility map on the Rural Development website. Areas outside major cities — including many fast-growing suburbs and small towns — often qualify. Eligibility is reviewed periodically, so check the specific address.
USDA income limits
Income limits are based on the county and household size, and they count income from all adult household members, not just borrowers. Many areas allow roughly $110,000–$150,000+ for a household of 1–4 people.
USDA loans in California cities
Los AngelesSan DiegoSan JoseSan FranciscoFresnoSacramentoLong BeachOaklandBakersfieldAnaheimStocktonRiversideSanta AnaIrvineChula VistaSanta ClaritaFremontSan BernardinoModestoFontanaMoreno ValleyOxnardHuntington BeachGlendaleOntarioElk GroveSanta RosaRancho CucamongaOceansideGarden GroveLancasterPalmdaleSalinasHaywardCoronaSunnyvaleRosevilleEscondidoPomonaTorranceVisaliaFullertonOrangePasadenaVictorvilleSanta ClaraSimi ValleyThousand OaksVallejoConcordClovisBerkeleyFairfieldAntiochRichmondEast Los AngelesCarlsbadDowneyMurrietaCosta MesaTemeculaSan Buenaventura (Ventura)Santa MariaWest CovinaEl MonteMenifeeJurupa ValleyInglewoodBurbankEl CajonRialtoSan MateoDaly CityVacavilleChicoNorwalkHesperiaVistaArden-ArcadeTracySan MarcosComptonCarsonReddingMission ViejoSouth GateChinoSanta MonicaIndioHemetWestminsterMercedSan LeandroSanta BarbaraCitrus HeightsMantecaHawthorneWhittierLivermoreLake ForestSan RamonNewport BeachBuena ParkRedwood CityMountain ViewFolsomAlhambraRancho CordovaLakewoodPerrisTustinUplandNapaMilpitasCarmichaelChino HillsPleasantonBellflowerAlamedaPittsburgApple ValleyRedlandsTurlockRocklinLake ElsinoreBaldwin ParkDublinCamarilloEastvaleTulareRedondo BeachWalnut CreekYuba CityUnion CityYorba LindaPalo AltoMaderaLodiDavisCastro ValleyLynwoodBrentwoodSouth San FranciscoLaguna NiguelSan ClementePortervilleLa HabraFlorence-GrahamEncinitasMontebelloWoodlandSanta CruzLa MesaPico RiveraSan RafaelGardenaMonterey ParkSanteeHanfordPetalumaCupertinoGilroyHighlandFountain ValleyNational CityArcadiaSouth WhittierHacienda HeightsBeaumontSan JacintoWest SacramentoYucaipaColtonDiamond BarHuntington ParkNovatoParamountPlacentiaCathedral CityWatsonvilleLincolnPalm DesertGlendoraAliso ViejoDelanoEl Dorado HillsRosemeadCovinaFlorinCypressAzusaAntelopeCeresPowayCerritosSan Luis ObispoNorth HighlandsBreaRancho Santa MargaritaNewarkLa MiradaRowland HeightsLos BanosMorgan HillPalm SpringsRohnert ParkOakleyEl CentroLompocDanvilleHollisterCampbellVineyardSan BrunoCoachellaFrench ValleyAltadenaRancho Palos VerdesCulver CitySan GabrielBell GardensStantonCalexicoLa QuintaAdelantoMontclairMonroviaPacificaLa PuenteFoothill FarmsWildomarMartinezLa PresaClaremontMoorparkTemple CityOrangevaleWest HollywoodSan Juan CapistranoOildaleManhattan BeachPleasant HillWestmontSan DimasFoster CityDana PointBellDesert Hot SpringsMenlo ParkLos GatosLathropGoletaFallbrookSpring ValleyFair OaksAtwaterSeasideBeverly HillsSan PabloEl Paso de Robles (Paso Robles)OrcuttSanta PaulaLawndaleLaguna HillsLa VerneLos AltosBanningBurlingameSaratogaSan CarlosMontereyAtascaderoSan LorenzoEastern Goleta ValleySuisun CityEast Palo AltoTwentynine PalmsEast NilesTemescal ValleyRidgecrestWalnutBelmontLemon GroveLemooreBrawleyBeniciaSangerEurekaSouth PasadenaHerculesWascoWindsorNorth TustinImperial BeachEl CerritoGaltWest Whittier-Los NietosReedleyLafayetteNorcoDinubaBarstowMountain HouseLoma LindaRiverbankSeal BeachMaywoodSelmaSoledadBloomingtonPattersonBay PointSan FernandoLadera RanchEast San GabrielRosemontLindaOakdaleCalabasasRamonaAshlandLaguna BeachCorcoranMillbraeWest Rancho DominguezCudahyMarinaRancho San DiegoWest Puente ValleyWinter GardensDuarteWest CarsonLakesideYucca ValleyAmerican CanyonPort HuenemeWillowbrookValindaGranite BaySouth Lake TahoeStevenson RanchImperialRosamondShafterLomitaEast HemetLennoxLa Cañada FlintridgeLa Crescenta-MontroseAgoura HillsOrovilleAlbanyGreenfieldCasa de Oro-Mount HelixMead ValleyArvinOrindaSouth El MonteRosedaleSanta Fe SpringsPrunedaleValle VistaHermosa BeachDixonOlivehurstChowchillaPinoleArcataCoronadoCastaicArroyo GrandePhelanStanfordBlytheSouth San Jose HillsRancho MirageCoalingaLaguna WoodsCameron ParkNipomoMcKinleyvilleWoodcrestRio LindaTruckeeLive OakEl SegundoMoragaFillmoreClearlakeBostoniaKermanUkiahRiponArtesiaParkwayEl SobranteAlpineWalnut ParkLa PalmaCoto de CazaDiscovery BayVincentLos OsosCamp Pendleton SouthPacific GroveSusanvilleLemon HillCalifornia CityRed BluffCherrylandParlierSalidaLivingstonAlamoEast Rancho DominguezMcFarlandGrass ValleyMill ValleyNorth AuburnHawaiian GardensAuburnIsla VistaOak ParkKing CityLamontLake Los AngelesAvenalBonitaNorth Fair OaksEl SobranteCarpinteriaGrand TerracePalos Verdes EstatesAvocado HeightsLarkspurSolana BeachEmeryvilleSan AnselmoMarysvilleGrover BeachDiamond SpringsKingsburgLindsayMendotaBig Bear CityFortunaTehachapiNewmanSan MarinoTamalpais-Homestead ValleyScotts ValleyCommerceRossmoorLos AlamitosView Park-Windsor HillsUniversity of California-Santa BarbaraAlum RockLakeland VillageSignal HillLa RivieraHalf Moon BayHome GardensWintonMuscoyRancho Mission ViejoAndersonHealdsburgHillsboroughDel AireCanyon LakeSierra MadrePiedmontSun VillageQuartz HillClaytonCitrusLake ArrowheadPlacervilleSonomaMorro BaySoquelCalimesaPotomac ParkDelhiMalibuGolden HillsCrestlineGarden AcresBlackhawkEast BakersfieldFarmersvilleShasta LakeValley CenterExeterHillcrestSan Diego Country EstatesCorte MaderaSpring Valley LakeEast WhittierFairviewCountry ClubRio Vista
Frequently asked questions
Only in USDA-eligible areas. Many rural and suburban parts of California qualify; check a specific address on the USDA eligibility map.
Often yes. California Housing Finance Agency (CalHFA) and local programs frequently pair assistance with FHA, conventional, VA or USDA first mortgages. Eligibility depends on income, price and program rules.
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Get My MatchesFigures on this page are estimates for educational purposes only and are not a loan offer or commitment to lend. Rates, loan limits, fees and assistance programs change frequently and vary by lender, location and borrower profile. Confirm current terms with a licensed loan officer.