Cheney Mortgage NMLS #1535047 · CT · MA · RI

Can you buy a home in Bolton, CT with no money down?

Yes. Bolton is in a USDA-eligible area, which means qualified buyers can purchase here with a zero-down USDA Guaranteed Loan. The income limit for Bolton (Tolland County) in 2026 is $137,000 for a household of 1 to 4 people and $180,850 for 5 to 8 people. Check your household below in about ten seconds, then confirm the specific address on the official USDA map.

Visit Bolton virtually →  interactive map and street-level drive-through

USDA loans in Bolton: how eligibility actually works

USDA eligibility has two gates and both must pass. The property gate: the address must sit inside a USDA-designated eligible area. All of Bolton currently falls within one, but USDA decides at the parcel level, so the address gets confirmed on the official map before anyone counts on it. The income gate: total income of every adult in the household, not just the borrower, must fall under the county limit.

The income gate surprises people in the wrong direction. This is not a low-income program. A two-earner household in Bolton making $135,000 clears the limit with room to spare.

USDA Income Screener

CT counties · 2026 limits
Informational comparison against published limits only. Not a loan approval, eligibility determination, or commitment to lend. Based on published 2026 USDA Guaranteed Loan income limits, which USDA updates annually. USDA counts gross income of all adult household members and allows certain deductions this screener does not calculate. All eligibility determinations are made by a licensed loan officer and USDA Rural Development. Cheney Mortgage, Inc. NMLS #1535047, licensed mortgage broker in CT, MA, and RI.

Confirm the property on the official USDA map

Income is half the test. The address is the other half, and only USDA's own map answers it. Takes under a minute:

  1. 01Open the official map: USDA Property Eligibility
  2. 02Choose Single Family Housing Guaranteed and accept the disclaimer
  3. 03Enter the full street address of the Bolton property
  4. 04The map returns eligible or ineligible for that exact parcel. Screenshot it for your file.

Address came back eligible on the map and your income sits under the published limit? You have a scenario worth a loan officer's time. Bring both to us and an LO will verify eligibility and structure it.

If USDA is not the fit, Bolton buyers have two more low-down paths

FHA, 3.5% down

No geography test, more flexible credit than USDA, and the usual next look when a household is over the USDA income limit. Annual mortgage insurance runs higher than USDA's 0.35% fee.

Conventional 97, 3% down

For stronger credit profiles. Mortgage insurance cancels once you reach 20% equity, which neither FHA nor USDA offers on the same terms.

Which one wins depends on income, credit, and the specific property. That comparison is a loan officer's job, and it costs you nothing to have one of ours run the options side by side.

Bolton USDA questions, answered straight

Is Bolton, Connecticut eligible for USDA loans?

Yes. Bolton sits in a USDA-eligible rural area on the current USDA Rural Development map. Buyers here can use the USDA Guaranteed Loan with no down payment, provided household income falls within the Tolland County limit and the specific address confirms as eligible on the official map.

What is the USDA income limit for Bolton in 2026?

$137,000 for households of 1 to 4 people, $180,850 for 5 to 8. Total income of all adults in the household counts, not just the borrower. Limits update annually, typically in June.

Does a USDA loan really require zero down payment?

Yes, 100% financing. There is a 1% upfront guarantee fee that can be rolled into the loan and a 0.35% annual fee, lower than FHA's annual mortgage insurance.

I make slightly more than the limit. Am I done?

Not necessarily. USDA allows deductions for dependents, childcare costs, and elderly household members before testing income against the limit. Households a few thousand over the gross limit sometimes qualify after deductions. Only a loan officer can run that math with your documents, and it is worth ten minutes before writing the program off.

Can I use a USDA loan for a condo or only a single-family house?

Single-family homes, USDA-approved condos, and certain townhouses all work. No farm, no acreage requirement, no connection to agriculture needed.

Run your Bolton scenario with a licensed broker

Ten minutes with Hey Dave or a full application, your pick. We broker USDA, FHA, and conventional loans across CT, MA, and RI, and a loan officer will tell you plainly which one the numbers favor.

Start your application Ask Hey Dave