Most USDA, Rural Development program funding from 2000 through 2024 was dedicated to single family housing

The single largest USDA, Rural Development (RD) program between 2000 and 2024 was the Single Family Housing (SFH) program, which received 55 percent of total obligated funding over this period. The SFH program is devoted to investment in rural areas through home loan guarantees, assistance with repairs, and other home improvements for lower- and middle-income populations. Additional analysis of counties with higher per capita SFH participation indicates a positive relationship with the county’s share of owner-occupied housing, according to American Community Survey data. Other obligated funds went to various rural infrastructure programs, including Electric (18 percent); Water and Environmental (7 percent), which includes drinking water and wastewater treatment; Community Facilities (5 percent), including hospitals, schools, and public safety; and Telecommunications (3 percent). Additional outlays went to Rural Business-Cooperative Service programs (7 percent), which are mostly loan guarantees for rural businesses and cooperatives, and Multifamily Housing program grants to revitalize and support rural rental properties (5 percent). Federal investment, primarily through RD programs, helps address limited access to infrastructure, housing, healthcare, education, and financial capital for businesses to make rural areas more attractive for people and businesses. This chart appears in the ERS report Exploring USDA Rural Development Programs, published in May 2026.