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Abstract A multiscale topology optimization framework for stress-constrained design is presented. Spatially varying microstructures are distributed in the macroscale where their material properties are estimated using a neural network surrogate model for homogenized constitutive relations. Meanwhile, the local stress state of each microstructure is evaluated with another neural network trained to emulate second-order homogenization. This combination of two surrogate models — one for effective properties, one for local stress evaluation — is shown to accurately and efficiently predict relevant stress values in structures with spatially varying microstructures. An augmented lagrangian approach to stress-constrained optimization is then implemented to minimize the volume of multiscale structures subjected to stress constraints in each microstructure. Several examples show that the approach can produce designs with varied microarchitectures that respect local stress constraints. As expected, the distributed microstructures cannot surpass density-based topology optimization designs in canonical volume minimization problems. Despite this, the stress-constrained design of hierarchical structures remains an important component in the development of multiphysics and multifunctional design. This work presents an effective approach to multiscale optimization where a machine learning approach to local analysis has increased the information exchange between micro- and macroscales.