USDA-eligible towns in southern New Hampshire (checked October 30, 2026)
When Tom checked USDA's eligibility map on October 30, 2026, Amherst, Brookline, Hollis, Milford, Mont Vernon, New Boston, Weare and Wilton fell entirely inside USDA's eligible rural area for home loans, and most of Goffstown, Litchfield and Pelham did too. Derry, Hudson, Londonderry, Manchester, Merrimack and Nashua were outside it. USDA confirms eligibility one address at a time, and its loans also have household income limits.
By Tom MacDonald, Loan Officer · Checked October 30, 2026Elite Mortgage GroupNMLS #2748687Company NMLS #2502308MBR
Town by town
| Town | County | USDA map, October 30, 2026 | Sample points inside eligible area |
|---|---|---|---|
| Amherst | Hillsborough | Eligible | 40 of 40 |
| Brookline | Hillsborough | Eligible | 40 of 40 |
| Hollis | Hillsborough | Eligible | 40 of 40 |
| Milford | Hillsborough | Eligible | 40 of 40 |
| Mont Vernon | Hillsborough | Eligible | 40 of 40 |
| New Boston | Hillsborough | Eligible | 40 of 40 |
| Weare | Hillsborough | Eligible | 40 of 40 |
| Wilton | Hillsborough | Eligible | 40 of 40 |
| Litchfield | Hillsborough | Mostly eligible | 39 of 40 |
| Pelham | Hillsborough | Mostly eligible | 39 of 40 |
| Goffstown | Hillsborough | Mostly eligible | 35 of 40 |
| Merrimack | Hillsborough | Mostly not eligible | 1 of 40 |
| Derry | Rockingham | Not eligible | 0 of 40 |
| Hudson | Hillsborough | Not eligible | 0 of 40 |
| Londonderry | Rockingham | Not eligible | 0 of 40 |
| Manchester | Hillsborough | Not eligible | 0 of 40 |
| Nashua | Hillsborough | Not eligible | 0 of 40 |
How the check was done: 40 random points inside each town's Census boundary were checked against USDA Rural Development's published map layer of areas that are not eligible for single-family housing loans (the data behind USDA's eligibility website). "Mostly eligible" means a few points fell in an ineligible area; USDA's map shows exactly where.
How do I check a specific address?
Enter the address on USDA's property eligibility site (eligibility.sc.egov.usda.gov), choose the single-family housing guaranteed program, and the map shows whether it's inside the eligible area. Then check household income against USDA's limit for the county, which counts the income of everyone in the household. Or send Tom the address and he'll check both.
Why are Hudson and Nashua not eligible when Litchfield is?
USDA's housing programs are for areas it defines as rural, and it reviews its map against Census data. Hudson shares Nashua's built-up area, while most of Litchfield, next door, falls inside the eligible area. Town lines don't decide it; USDA's map does, which is why part of Goffstown is eligible and part isn't.
Does the map change?
Yes. USDA reviews rural area designations from time to time, usually after a new Census, and posts notices before changes take effect. This page shows the map as of October 30, 2026 and will be rechecked periodically.
What if the home I want isn't eligible?
FHA, conventional, VA (for eligible veterans) and NH Housing programs work anywhere in the state. Tom compares them side by side.
Next step: Send Tom the address. He'll check USDA eligibility and your household income limit, and compare it with your other options. No credit pull to start. Tom MacDonald, Loan Officer, Elite Mortgage Group · NMLS #2748687 · Company NMLS #2502308MBR.
Sources
- USDA Rural Development, property eligibility site: https://eligibility.sc.egov.usda.gov/
- USDA Rural Development map service, layer "RHS SFH MFH" (ineligible areas for single-family and multi-family housing): https://rdgdwe.sc.egov.usda.gov/arcgis/rest/services/Eligibility/Eligibility/MapServer (queried October 30, 2026)
- U.S. Census Bureau TIGERweb, county subdivision boundaries (town outlines used for sampling): https://tigerweb.geo.census.gov/arcgis/rest/services/TIGERweb/Places_CouSub_ConCity_SubMCD/MapServer
- USDA Rural Development, Single Family Housing Guaranteed Loan Program (rural areas, household income limits): https://www.rd.usda.gov/programs-services/single-family-housing-programs/single-family-housing-guaranteed-loan-program
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