Pennsylvania Section 538 income limits for FY2026

A Section 538 tenant can earn up to 115% of area median income at move-in. In Pennsylvania that limit for a family of four runs from $78,200 in Forest County, PA to $141,100 in Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD. Limits took effect July 13, 2026.

Source: USDA Rural Development, FY2026 MFH income limits, "RD 538 GUAR MOD INC" row, effective July 13, 2026. Persons in the household.
Area	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8
Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA part of the Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ metro area	84,050	96,050	108,050	120,050	129,650	139,250	148,850	158,450
Altoona, PA metro area	74,400	85,000	95,650	106,250	114,750	123,250	131,750	140,250
Chambersburg, PA metro area	80,350	91,800	103,300	114,750	123,950	133,100	142,300	151,450
Erie, PA metro area	71,350	81,500	91,700	101,900	110,050	118,200	126,350	134,500
Gettysburg, PA metro area	85,950	98,250	110,500	122,800	132,600	142,450	152,250	162,100
Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA metro area	88,000	100,550	113,150	125,700	135,750	145,800	155,850	165,900
Johnstown, PA metro area	68,450	78,200	88,000	97,750	105,550	113,400	121,200	129,050
Lancaster, PA metro area	87,900	100,500	113,050	125,600	135,650	145,700	155,750	165,800
Lebanon, PA metro area	79,050	90,350	101,650	112,950	122,000	131,000	140,050	149,100
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD metro area	98,750	112,900	127,000	141,100	152,400	163,700	174,950	186,250
Armstrong County, PA part of the Pittsburgh, PA metro area	66,500	76,000	85,500	95,000	102,600	110,200	117,800	125,400
Lawrence County, PA part of the Pittsburgh, PA metro area	71,600	81,800	92,050	102,250	110,450	118,600	126,800	134,950
Pittsburgh, PA metro area	88,850	101,550	114,250	126,950	137,100	147,250	157,400	167,550
Reading, PA metro area	82,200	93,900	105,650	117,400	126,800	136,200	145,600	154,950
Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA metro area	74,400	85,000	95,650	106,250	114,750	123,250	131,750	140,250
State College, PA metro area	95,250	108,850	122,450	136,050	146,950	157,800	168,700	179,600
Williamsport, PA metro area	70,650	80,750	90,850	100,950	109,050	117,100	125,200	133,250
York-Hanover, PA metro area	85,250	97,450	109,600	121,800	131,550	141,300	151,050	160,800
Bedford County, PA	68,350	78,100	87,900	97,650	105,450	113,250	121,100	128,900
Bradford County, PA	70,350	80,400	90,450	100,500	108,550	116,600	124,600	132,650
Cameron County, PA	56,300	64,300	72,350	80,400	86,850	93,250	99,700	106,150
Clarion County, PA	69,050	78,900	88,800	98,650	106,550	114,450	122,350	130,200
Clearfield County, PA	69,150	79,050	88,900	98,800	106,700	114,600	122,500	130,400
Clinton County, PA	64,600	73,800	83,050	92,250	99,650	107,000	114,400	121,750
Columbia County, PA	73,100	83,500	93,950	104,400	112,750	121,100	129,450	137,800
Crawford County, PA	65,750	75,150	84,500	93,900	101,450	108,950	116,450	123,950
Elk County, PA	72,400	82,700	93,050	103,400	111,650	119,950	128,200	136,500
Forest County, PA	54,750	62,550	70,400	78,200	84,450	90,700	96,950	103,200
Fulton County, PA	71,250	81,450	91,600	101,800	109,950	118,100	126,250	134,400
Greene County, PA	74,950	85,650	96,350	107,050	115,600	124,200	132,750	141,300
Huntingdon County, PA	71,350	81,500	91,700	101,900	110,050	118,200	126,350	134,500
Indiana County, PA	67,450	77,100	86,700	96,350	104,050	111,750	119,450	127,200
Jefferson County, PA	62,500	71,400	80,350	89,250	96,400	103,550	110,650	117,800
Juniata County, PA	68,500	78,300	88,050	97,850	105,700	113,500	121,350	129,150
McKean County, PA	68,050	77,750	87,450	97,200	104,950	112,750	120,500	128,300
Mercer County, PA	67,300	76,900	86,550	96,150	103,850	111,550	119,250	126,900
Mifflin County, PA	65,500	74,900	84,250	93,600	101,100	108,600	116,050	123,550
Monroe County, PA	84,050	96,050	108,050	120,050	129,650	139,250	148,850	158,450
Montour County, PA	80,250	91,700	103,200	114,650	123,800	133,000	142,150	151,350
Northumberland County, PA	68,900	78,750	88,600	98,450	106,350	114,200	122,100	129,950
Pike County, PA	80,900	92,500	104,050	115,600	124,850	134,100	143,350	152,600
Potter County, PA	65,050	74,300	83,600	92,900	100,350	107,750	115,200	122,650
Schuylkill County, PA	69,050	78,900	88,800	98,650	106,550	114,450	122,350	130,200
Snyder County, PA	70,050	80,050	90,050	100,050	108,050	116,050	124,050	132,050
Somerset County, PA	67,250	76,850	86,450	96,050	103,750	111,400	119,100	126,800
Sullivan County, PA	73,250	83,700	94,200	104,650	113,000	121,400	129,750	138,150
Susquehanna County, PA	71,100	81,250	91,400	101,550	109,650	117,800	125,900	134,050
Tioga County, PA	65,950	75,350	84,800	94,200	101,750	109,250	116,800	124,350
Union County, PA	83,150	95,050	106,900	118,800	128,300	137,800	147,350	156,850
Venango County, PA	66,800	76,350	85,900	95,450	103,100	110,700	118,350	126,000
Warren County, PA	66,100	75,500	84,950	94,400	101,950	109,500	117,050	124,600
Wayne County, PA	68,250	78,000	87,750	97,500	105,300	113,100	120,900	128,700

From income limit to rent cap

Two rent rules apply under 7 CFR 3565.203. Each unit's rent, counting tenant-paid utilities, can't exceed 30% of 115% of area median income adjusted for family size, which is 30% of the figure in the table for the household size you assume, divided by 12. And across the whole project, the average rent can't exceed 30% of 100% of area median income each year.

Worked example for Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA: the four-person limit is $120,050, so the per-unit cap for a unit sized for four people is $3,001 a month including utilities. The project-average cap uses 100% of median instead of 115%, roughly $2,609 a month at the four-person size. Which household size applies to each bedroom count is set in USDA's program handbook; confirm it with your lender.

Income is tested only at move-in. A tenant whose income later rises above the limit can stay (7 CFR 3565.202(a)). Want to see what those rents support in debt? Run them through the 538 loan sizer.

All 52 Pennsylvania areas and every other state in one file: 538 income limits download.

Pennsylvania Section 538 income limits for FY2026

From income limit to rent cap

Get the FY2027 Pennsylvania limits when USDA posts them