Ohio down payment assistance, all 88 counties
Choose your Ohio county and household: whether OHFA fits under its county limit, the amount for your loan type, and the cash and payment left.
Help you may get in Franklin County
$10,500
OHFA Down Payment Assistance: forgivable loan, 7 years. 2 programs likely fit, 1 to check.
| Your income vs. area median for 3 people | 90% |
| HUD 80% income limit, 3 people | $80,300 |
| Down payment at 3.5% | $10,500 |
| Cash still needed with the help | $0 |
| Monthly payment, no help | $2,004 |
| Monthly payment, with the help | $2,004 |
| FHA limit · conforming limit | $591,100 · $832,750 |
Programs read on the Ohio Housing Finance Agency (OHFA) pages; HUD FY 2026 limits; payment = principal and interest over 30 years at 7.4% (Freddie Mac, October 15, 2026). The approved lender confirms eligibility.
| Program | Fit | Amount | Form | Why |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| OHFA Down Payment Assistance | Likely fits | $10,500 | Forgivable loan, 7 years | income, price and buyer fit |
| OHFA Mortgage Tax Credit | Likely fits | tax credit | Federal tax credit | income, price and buyer fit |
| Grants for Grads | Check with the agency | $10,500 | Forgivable loan, 5 years | extra condition the calculator cannot check |
Prepared by Radif Partners · Method · updated: HUD 2026 limits effective May 1, 2026 · Freddie Mac rate of October 15, 2026 · programs read on October 21, 2026
The Ohio Housing Finance Agency (OHFA) pays 3% of the purchase price with a conventional loan or 3.5% with an FHA, VA or USDA loan, as assistance that is forgiven after 7 years. Sell within the seven years and you repay all of it; there is no partial forgiveness. It goes with an OHFA first mortgage for first-time buyers, and the Next Home version serves repeat buyers. Grants for Grads pays the same percentages to buyers who earned a degree in the last 48 months, forgiven after 5 years if they stay in Ohio. OHFA's county table effective July 1, 2026 sets the income limit for three or more people between $113,620 and $168,705 and the price limit between $566,355 and $618,475. In Franklin County a household of three earning $90,000 buying at $300,000 with FHA receives $10,500, the whole minimum down payment.
OHFA's programs and their terms
| Program | Amount | Repayment (agency wording) | First-time only | Min. credit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| OHFA Down Payment Assistance | 3% of the purchase price with a conventional loan or 3.5% with an FHA, VA or USDA loan | forgiven after seven years; if you sell within seven years you repay all of the assistance | yes | 640 | open |
| Grants for Grads | forgiven after five years as long as you remain in Ohio | depends | open | ||
| OHFA Mortgage Tax Credit | federal tax credit on a portion of mortgage interest, up to $2,000 a year | depends | open |
The percentage follows the loan type, not the buyer: 3.5% with a government-insured loan matches the FHA minimum down payment exactly, while 3% with a conventional loan matches the usual 3% conventional minimum. Either way the down payment is covered and closing costs remain. The credit floor is 640 for conventional, USDA and VA loans and 650 for FHA.
OHFA's county table
| County | Income limit, 1-2 people | Income limit, 3+ people | Price limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Franklin County | $111,500 | $128,225 | $618,475 |
| Cuyahoga County | $105,000 | $120,750 | $566,355 |
| Hamilton County | $109,900 | $126,385 | $566,355 |
| Summit County | $98,800 | $113,620 | $566,355 |
| Montgomery County | $103,000 | $118,450 | $566,355 |
| Lucas County | $98,800 | $113,620 | $566,355 |
| Butler County | $109,900 | $126,385 | $566,355 |
| Stark County | $98,800 | $113,620 | $566,355 |
| Lorain County | $105,000 | $120,750 | $566,355 |
| Delaware County | $111,500 | $128,225 | $618,475 |
| Warren County | $109,900 | $126,385 | $566,355 |
| Mahoning County | $98,800 | $113,620 | $566,355 |
Most rural counties share the lowest limit. The Columbus area has the highest limits of the large metros: Franklin County is at $128,225 for three or more and a price limit of $618,475, against $120,750 and $566,355 in Cuyahoga County. Union County, northwest of Columbus, stands apart at $168,705 for three or more, the highest in the table, because HUD sets its own median for it. Higher limits also apply in targeted census tracts, which the calculator does not model. A household that sits just above its county line can check the neighboring county: the limit follows the address of the home, not where you live today.
Your Ohio county
Help you may get in Cuyahoga County
$8,750
| Your income vs. area median for 3 people | 116% |
| HUD 80% income limit, 3 people | $75,600 |
| Down payment at 3.5% | $8,750 |
| Cash still needed with the help | $0 |
Franklin County, line by line
| Program | Result | Amount | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| OHFA Down Payment Assistance | Likely fits | $10,500 | |
| OHFA Mortgage Tax Credit | Likely fits | ||
| Grants for Grads | Check with the agency | $10,500 | extra condition the calculator cannot check |
In Cuyahoga County the same household with $125,000 is over the $120,750 limit, so OHFA assistance does not fit; a recent graduate could still use Grants for Grads, worth $8,750 on a $250,000 home, since the calculator only flags its degree condition.
HUD figures in the large counties
| County | HUD median (4 people) | HUD 80% limit (3 people) | FHA limit | Conforming limit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Franklin County | $111,500 | $80,300 | $591,100 | $832,750 |
| Cuyahoga County | $105,000 | $75,600 | $541,287 | $832,750 |
| Hamilton County | $109,900 | $79,150 | $541,287 | $832,750 |
| Summit County | $97,100 | $69,950 | $541,287 | $832,750 |
| Montgomery County | $103,000 | $74,200 | $541,287 | $832,750 |
| Lucas County | $95,400 | $68,700 | $541,287 | $832,750 |
Ohio prices sit mostly at the FHA floor; only the Columbus metro rises above it, to $591,100. HUD's median ranges from $105,000 in Cuyahoga to $111,500 in Franklin, with Hamilton County, home to Cincinnati, at $109,900. OHFA's price limits are far above typical prices, so in Ohio the income limit is almost always the one that matters.
Applying in Ohio
OHFA lends through participating lenders and requires homebuyer education. Tell the lender at the start if you hold a recent degree or have owned a home before, since that decides between the standard program, Grants for Grads and Next Home. Keep the closing date: it starts the 7 years that end the repayment.