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Cupertino sits in the heart of Silicon Valley. USDA loans require properties to be in USDA-eligible rural or suburban zones — and Cupertino does not qualify.
The USDA eligibility map excludes most of Santa Clara County. Dense, high-income cities like Cupertino fall well outside the program's geographic boundaries.
No
Cupertino USDA Eligible?
640 (USDA standard)
Min Credit Score
0% (eligible areas only)
Down Payment Required
FHA or Conventional
Best Local Alternative
USDA Loans in Cupertino
USDA loans require both property and borrower eligibility. The property must sit in a USDA-designated area — Cupertino addresses won't pass that check.
Borrower income must fall below area limits set by the USDA. In Santa Clara County, those limits are especially hard to meet given local household incomes.
Local decision guide
Use this guide to connect usda loans eligibility, lender expectations, and local market factors before comparing payment options in Cupertino.
Cupertino sits in the heart of Silicon Valley. USDA loans require properties to be in USDA-eligible rural or suburban zones — and Cupertino does not qualify.
The USDA eligibility map excludes most of Santa Clara County. Dense, high-income cities like Cupertino fall well outside the program's geographic boundaries.
USDA loans require both property and borrower eligibility. The property must sit in a USDA-designated area — Cupertino addresses won't pass that check.
Most lenders won't process a USDA loan for a Cupertino address. The property eligibility check happens before underwriting even starts.
At SRK CAPITAL, we work across 200+ wholesale lenders. None can override USDA's geographic eligibility rules — that's set by the federal program, not the lender.
We see buyers chase USDA for the zero-down benefit. That makes sense — but applying in Cupertino wastes your time and delays your purchase.
If you're set on zero down in this market, FHA at 3.5% down or certain Community Mortgage programs are realistic paths worth exploring instead.
USDA's zero-down benefit is real — but location locks you out here. FHA loans require just 3.5% down with a 580+ credit score and work anywhere in Cupertino.
Conventional loans with 3-5% down are another option for qualified buyers. VA loans remain the only true zero-down path — but only for eligible veterans and service members.
Cupertino's median home prices are among the highest in California. Even if USDA were eligible here, loan limits would make the program impractical for most properties.
Santa Clara County's high income levels also work against USDA qualification. Household income in Cupertino regularly exceeds USDA's area income caps by a significant margin.
No. Cupertino is not in a USDA-eligible zone. The program only covers rural and certain suburban areas, which excludes Silicon Valley cities.
Some rural edges of the county may qualify. Check the USDA eligibility map directly — most populated cities in the county do not qualify.
VA loans are the strongest zero-down option, but only for eligible veterans. For everyone else, FHA at 3.5% down is the most accessible low-down program.
Yes. USDA sets income limits by county. Santa Clara County limits are strict, and most Cupertino households earn above the qualifying threshold.
A lender won't get far — the property eligibility check fails immediately for Cupertino addresses. Save time and explore FHA or conventional options instead.