USDA 538 and 515 data as an MCP server

Add it to your AI assistant

Server URL (Streamable HTTP, no key, read-only):

https://usda538.loans/mcp

Claude (claude.ai and the desktop app)

Settings, then Connectors, then Add custom connector. Paste the URL and save. No sign-in is needed.

ChatGPT

Settings, then Apps and Connectors. Turn on Developer mode under Advanced, choose Create, paste the URL and set authentication to none.

Grok

grok.com, then Connectors, then New connector, then Custom. Paste the URL.

Perplexity

Settings, then Connectors, then Add custom connector, then MCP. Paste the URL and choose no authentication.

Mistral Le Chat

Intelligence, then Connectors, then Add connector, then Custom MCP connector. Paste the URL.

Claude Code:

claude mcp add --transport http usda538-loans https://usda538.loans/mcp

Cursor (~/.cursor/mcp.json) and other clients that read mcpServers:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "usda538-loans": {
      "url": "https://usda538.loans/mcp"
    }
  }
}

VS Code (.vscode/mcp.json):

{
  "servers": {
    "usda538-loans": {
      "type": "http",
      "url": "https://usda538.loans/mcp"
    }
  }
}

Gemini CLI (~/.gemini/settings.json):

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "usda538-loans": {
      "httpUrl": "https://usda538.loans/mcp"
    }
  }
}

Menu names change as the apps update. If a step has moved, look for "connectors" or "MCP" in the app's settings.

Tools

get_538_income_limits

FY2026 Section 538 income limits (115% of area median, 1 to 8 persons) for a county or USDA area, with the per-unit and project-average rent caps. Try asking: "What is the 538 income limit for a family of four in Polk County, Iowa?"

list_538_loans

A state's Section 538 loans from USDA's public file: totals, lenders and each loan's size, loan-to-cost, units and rents, filterable by lender or year. Try asking: "Which lenders have closed 538 loans in California since 2022?"

get_538_lender_table

Every Section 538 lender nationwide ranked by loan count, with total amount and latest fiscal year. Try asking: "Who are the most active USDA 538 lenders?"

find_usda_rural_rentals

Active Section 515 and 514 properties in a county: address, bedroom mix, units, rental assistance, recorded vacancies and management company. Try asking: "Are there USDA rural apartments in Jones County, Iowa?"

size_538_loan

The maximum 538 loan from your rents, expenses, cost, value and rate: the 90% or 97% leverage cap against the DSCR cap, plus the 2026 guarantee fees. Try asking: "Size a 538 loan for 48 units at $1,150 rent and a 6.5% rate."

Discovery file: /.well-known/mcp.json. For bulk use, the full files are free CSV and JSON downloads on data downloads and API.

License and attribution

USDA's and the Census Bureau's data are public domain. The compilation is CC BY 4.0: credit "Data: Open Country (usda538.loans)" with a link. Open Country is published by Janover Capital LLC, a private company, and is not part of USDA or any government agency. Nothing returned is a loan offer, a quote or an eligibility determination.

Questions or a data error: hello@usda538.loans. Privacy and terms.