North Florida Mortgage office on Sutton Park Drive, Jacksonville

USDA loan

Zero down.Rural and suburban Northeast Florida.

USDA Rural Development loans are 0% down mortgages for income-eligible buyers in qualifying geographic areas. Surprising portions of Clay County, St. Johns County, and outlying Duval are USDA-eligible.

Get Pre-Approved (904) 389-4635

What a USDA loan is

The U.S. Department of Agriculture guarantees mortgages issued by approved lenders in designated rural and suburban areas. The benefit: zero down payment, low mortgage insurance, competitive rates. The catch: the property must be in a USDA-eligible zip code, and household income must be below the program's income limit.

Who qualifies

Eligibility at a glance

The two main checks: geography and income.

Down payment

Zero down on a USDA-eligible property when income qualifies.

640+

Min credit score

Most USDA lenders set 640 as the floor. Some flex lower with manual underwriting.

115%

Income cap

Household income capped at 115% of the area median for the county.

Eligibility checks:

The home must be in a USDA-eligible area. Many NE Florida zips are. We confirm against the USDA map during application.
Household income (everyone in the home, not just the borrower) must be at or below 115% of area median income for the county
Must be your primary residence; investment and second homes are not eligible
Property must meet basic condition standards via USDA appraisal

When USDA is the right call

You're buying in Clay, St. Johns, or outlying Duval and the property is in a USDA-eligible zip
Combined household income is moderate (under the 115% AMI threshold)
You don't have a large down payment ready
Credit is at least mid-600s with no recent major issues

When to look at other programs

Property is inside an excluded urban area: USDA isn't available
Household income is above the cap: you don't qualify
Investment property: not eligible under USDA
VA-eligible: VA also offers 0% down and may price better depending on file

Want a number before you talk to anyone? See what you can qualify for using this week's Freddie Mac rate. No application, no credit pull.

USDA questions

What buyers in eligible NE Florida areas ask.

How do I check if my address is USDA-eligible?

The USDA maintains an online property eligibility map. We check it for you during application. As a rough heuristic in NE Florida: outside the Jacksonville urban core, much of Clay and St. Johns County, and large parts of Putnam and Bradford counties are eligible.

What's the income limit?

115% of the area median income for the household. The exact number changes annually and depends on county and household size. For most NE Florida counties, a household of 4 can earn around $112K and still qualify; smaller households cap lower.

Is there mortgage insurance?

Yes, but it's lower than FHA's MIP. USDA charges a 1% upfront guarantee fee (financed into the loan) plus a 0.35% annual fee paid monthly.

What's the difference between USDA Direct and USDA Guaranteed?

Direct is issued by the USDA itself for very-low-income buyers and is processed through USDA offices. Guaranteed is issued by approved lenders (like the ones we work with) with a USDA guarantee. Most NE Florida buyers use the Guaranteed program.

Keep reading

Related, in plain English.

USDA loans in North Florida
How USDA zero-down loans work in Northeast Florida, which areas qualify.
Down payment assistance in Jacksonville, 2026
FHA and conventional down payment assistance options North Florida Mortgage is offering in 2026.
First Steps to Buy Your First Home in Northeast Florida
The order that actually works for a first-time buyer in Jacksonville.

Eligible address?

Get a real USDA quote today.

One call confirms eligibility on both the property and your income. If both check out, USDA is hard to beat.

Get Pre-Approved (904) 389-4635