What are the 2026 Kentucky USDA income limits?

Most Kentucky counties allow $119,850 for 1–4 household members and $158,250 for 5–8. Boone, Campbell, Gallatin, and Kenton counties allow higher limits.

Which Kentucky counties are not eligible for USDA loans?

Jefferson County (Louisville) and Fayette County (Lexington) are fully ineligible for USDA Rural Housing loans.

Do USDA loans require a down payment?

No. USDA Guaranteed Loans offer 100% financing with no down payment for eligible borrowers.

Kentucky USDA Rural Housing income Limits 2026

2026 Kentucky USDA Income Limits by County

Official USDA Rural Housing income limits for Kentucky homebuyers using the USDA Guaranteed Loan Program. Check 1–4 and 5–8 household limits, Northern Kentucky higher limits, and see if you qualify for a zero-down USDA mortgage in 2026.

2026 USDA Income Limits for Kentucky

Most Kentucky Counties

$119,850

1–4 Person Household

$158,250

5–8 Person Household

Northern Kentucky (Cincinnati MSA)

$128,600

1–4 Person Household

$169,800

5–8 Person Household

Higher 2026 USDA income limits apply in Boone, Campbell, Gallatin, and Kenton Counties.

Check Your County – 2026 USDA Income Limits

Check USDA Property Eligibility

USDA eligibility is based on property location, not just county name.

Check USDA Property Map

Why Kentucky Homebuyers Use USDA Loans

100% financing – no down payment
Lower interest rates than most conventional loans
Reduced mortgage insurance vs FHA
Flexible credit guidelines
Available in most of Kentucky

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About Me

Your Trusted Kentucky Mortgage Expert I specialize in assisting Kentucky First-Time Homebuyers with mortgage loans, including FHA, VA, USDA & Rural Housing, KHC (Kentucky Housing Corporation), and Fannie Mae programs. With over 20 years of experience in the mortgage industry, I’ve helped more than 1,300 Kentucky families achieve their dream of homeownership or refinance their current mortgages to secure lower payments. Whether you’re a first-time buyer or looking to refinance, I am here to guide you through every step of the process with personalized attention, expert advice, and the best loan options available to fit your unique needs. Down Payment Assistance: For Kentucky first-time homebuyers, we still have down payment assistance available through KHC programs. These funds can make a huge difference in reducing upfront costs and making homeownership more accessible. Why Work With Me? Local Expertise: I know the ins and outs of Kentucky’s housing market and loan programs. Fast Approvals: I offer free mortgage applications with same-day approvals to keep the process moving quickly. Customized Loan Solutions: Whether you’re buying a home or refinancing, I’ll find the right loan program to fit your needs. Personalized Service: I treat every client like family, ensuring you’re supported and informed throughout the process. About My Website Visit my website for a wealth of resources tailored to Kentucky homebuyers. You’ll find: Step-by-step guides for first-time homebuyers. Information on loan programs like FHA, VA, USDA, and KHC. Tools to help you calculate potential payments and affordability. Blog posts with tips and updates on the Kentucky housing market. A secure portal to start your loan application and upload documents. Please Note: My website is not endorsed by the FHA, VA, USDA, or any government agency. It is an independent platform created to educate and assist homebuyers with expert advice and accessible tools. -- 1 - Email - kentuckyloan@gmail.com 2. Call/Text - 502-905-3708 Joel Lobb Mortgage Loan Officer - Expert on Kentucky Mortgage Loans www.mylouisvillekentuckymortgage.com 911 Barret Ave., Louisville, KY 40204 Evo Mortgage Company NMLS# 1738461 Personal NMLS# 57916 For assistance with Kentucky mortgage loans, reach out via email, call, or text Joel Lobb directly. Licensing Info: Kentucky Mortgage Loan Only NMLS Personal ID: 57916 Company NMLS ID: 1738461 www.nmlsconsumeracces.org Equal Housing Lender Email ThisBlogThis!Share to XShare to FacebookShare to Pinterest Joel Lobb, Mortgage Broker FHA, VA, KHC, USDA

Kentucky USDA Rural Housing Mortgage Loan Officer Expert..

I have helped over 1300 Kentucky families buy or refinance their home over the last 18 years. Realizing that this is one of the biggest, most important financial transactions a family makes during their lifetime, I always feel honored and respected when I am chosen to originate their personal home loan. You can count on me to deliver on what I say, and I will always give you honest, up-front personal attention you deserve during the loan process.

I have several advantages over the large banks in town. First, I can search and negotiate for your loan options through several different mortgage companies across the country to get you a competitive priced loan locally. Whereas most banks will offer offer you their one set of loan products. I have access to over 15 different mortgage companies to broker your loan through to get you competitive pricing and loan products that may not fit into the bank's program due to credit, income, or other underwriting issues.

You will not get lost in the shuffle like most borrowers do at the mega banks; you're just not a number at our company, you are a person and we will treat you like one throughout the entire process.

Give us a try or let us compare your options on your next mortgage transaction. Call/text me locally at 502-905-3708. Free Mortgage Pre-Qualifications same day on most applications.

Email me at kentuckyloan@gmail.com with your questions

I specialize in Kentucky FHA, VA ,USDA, KHC, Conventional and Jumbo mortgage loans. I am based out of Louisville Kentucky. For the first time buyer, we offer Kentucky Housing or KHC loans with down payment assistance.

This website is not an government agency, and does
not officially represent the HUD, VA, USDA or FHA or any other government agency.

NMLS# 57916 http://www.nmlsconsumeraccess.org/

Joel Lobb Senior Loan Officer

call/text phone: (502) 905-3708
kentuckyloan@gmail.com

Company ID #1738461
EQUAL HOUSING LENDER
http://www.mylouisvillekentuckymortgage.com/

Customer Testimonials

We just moved here the first of January in 2017 from Ohio to the Louisville, KY area and we found Joel's website online. He was quick to respond to us and got back the same day on our loan approval. He was very knowledgeable about the local market and kept us up-to date throughout the loan process and was a pleasure to meet at closing. Would recommend his services.

Angela Forsythe

"We were searching online for mortgage companies in Louisville, Ky locally to deal with and found Joel's website, and it was a godsend. He was great to work with, and delivered on everything he said he would do. I ended up referring my co-worker at UPS, and she was very pleased with his service and rates too. Would definitely vouch for him." September 2016

Monica Leinhardt

"We contacted Joel back in July 2011 to refinance our Mortgage and he was great to work with. We contacted several lenders locally and online, and most where taking almost 60 days to close a refinance, Joel got it done in 23 days start to finish,I would definetly recommmend him. He got us 3.75% with just $900 in closing costs on our FHA Streamline loan.

Kayle Griffin

“Joel is one of the best Mortgage Brokers I have ever worked with in my sixteen years in the real estate and mortgage business.” May 25, 2010

Tim Beck
“Joel has always worked very hard to keep his word and to work out seasonable solutions to difficult problems. He is truly an expert in FHA and other type loans.” September 1, 2010

Nancy Nalley

“I have worked with Joel since 1998. He is a great loan professional.” I refer most of my Louisville, Kentucky area home buyers to him and he always take special care of them. August 23, 2012

Jon ClarK

“Joel Lobb is a real professional in the lending industry, with many years of experience, he is the one to go to for any mortgage lending needs.” August 22, 2011

RICHARD VOLZ , Residential Sales , Remax Foursquare Realty
“When looking to purchase our new home in 2006, I had the pleasure of meeting Joel Lobb. Not only was he personable and easy to reach, he was extremely knowledgable in his field and made sure to find us the best rate and a top notch mortgage company. We were able to complete the process in less than 3 weeks with his expertise. I find Joel to have the utmost high integrity and I recommend him to anyone who say's they are need of mortgage assistance. He is also fantastic and keeping everyone up to date on the latest in the housing industry through his twitter posts. He provided great results for our family and we still communicate to this day!” August 21, 2010
Stacie Drake

"We first use Joel on our new home purchase in 2007 in St Matthews, Kentucky area and he was great to work with. We have since refinanced our home with him in 2010 when rates got really low and he has always delivered on what he says. I could not imagine using anyone else."

Melody Glasscock March 2014

Absolutely Amazing!! I emailed Joel after I had just got a denial from a bank and just thought i would try to get some advice on what my next steps would be to get a house. I honestly didn't expect to even get a reply because my credit is not great. That was about a week and a half ago. I just signed a contract on a house last night. ONLY because of Joel Lobb. He even worked with us throughout the weekend, which shocked me. Best decision I have ever made. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR WORKING WITH US THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE PROCESS.

Cee Bellisle August 2018

😃

Contacted him about buying a home and he was great to work with. I was moving to Louisville Ky to take a new job and he walked me through the entire process. He explained to me all the different options for FHA, VA, USDA mortgage loans and credit score requirements versus Fannie Mae. Since I was a first time home buyer I needed alot of help and guidance. I would definitely recommend him. Fast to respond and available to answer questions that I or my realtor had after hours.
Anderson Johnson April, 2018

We moved from Michigan to Northern Kentucky area and we were really impressed. We got a USDA loan no money down and closed in less than 3.5 weeks. We shopped around online with other lenders but Joel was always first to respond and his rates were just a little better than other lenders. He kept us informed through the process along with our realtor and there was absolutely no surprises like we heard from other co-workers and friends that they experienced in their loan process. We have already referred another co-worker to Joel . He's AWESOME!

Patty Kingston July 2018

😍

betty parsons

Wow, what a great loan officer. I was referred to him by our agent and he was great to work with. We used him for a USDA no money down loan in Shelby County and we were really impressed. We were afraid we could not buy a home since we did not have money saved for a down payment, but Joe l was able to get us a zero down loan and we even got our appraisal fee and good faith deposit back at closing. We actually got money back at closing!!! I Can't think him enough. Our family moved from our apartment in the south end of town to get our own home with 5 acres for our kids and 2 dogs, at a payment that is equal to our rent payment also. .Thanks Again Joel. May god bless you

Patty Locker

We contacted Joel about buying a house on our move from Ohio for my husband's job transfer with Ford. We put a lot of trust in him since we were new to the area and first time home buyers in the Louisville KY market, and he always delivered on what he said. It took us a while to find a home due to the lack of homes, but once we got one, he was always quick to respond our questions via text or email ,and kept us informed through the process. We got to meet him at the closing and he was super nice and even got us a closing gift for our home which we didn't expect at all. Super nice guy 😀!!! I would definitely recommend him for a local Home loan in the Louisville area.

pam dolby

I got a VA loan with Joel and he was great. He is an ex-army guy so he could relate to my past experiences of being a veteran and moving around the country a lot. I had some credit issues that required a little extra work but Joel was able to find A VA lender to approve my situation as far as having past bad credit problems and a lower credit score. We closed yesterday on our home here in Louisville and we could not be happier. We finally have a home of our own thanks to Joel . I would definitely recommend him for a mortgage loan. Great experience and closed 8 days before expected close date so we were able to move in early.

I contacted Joel about the $10,000 KY Housing Grant last month and we were able to get it and I just closed on my home. He was great to work with and if you are a first time home buyer here in Louisville, I would definitely contact him. I met him at his office and he was very nice and knowledgeable and kept me informed through the process. No surprises either so I was very happy. I am new homeowner thanks to Joel .

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This blog is a sponsored blog created or supported by a company, organization or group of organizations. For questions about this blog, please contact Joel Lobb 502-905-3708 or email kentuckyloan@gmail.com NMLS# 57916.

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