Texas down payment assistance, county by county
Pick your Texas county and household: the TDHCA programs you fit, the amount, and the monthly payment with and without the help.
Help you may get in Harris County
$14,475
My First Texas Home: deferred loan, repaid when you sell or refinance. 2 programs likely fit, 1 to check.
| Your income vs. area median for 3 people | 91% |
| HUD 80% income limit, 3 people | $74,900 |
| 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 | $541,287 · $832,750 |
Programs read on the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs (TDHCA) 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| My First Texas Home | Likely fits | $14,475 | Deferred loan, repaid when you sell or refinance | income, price and buyer fit |
| Texas Mortgage Credit Certificate | Likely fits | tax credit | Federal tax credit | income, price and buyer fit |
| My Choice Texas Home | Check with the agency | $14,475 | Deferred loan, repaid when you sell or refinance | county income limit not transcribed: see the agency table |
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
Texas runs its statewide help through the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs (TDHCA). My First Texas Home pairs a 30-year first mortgage with up to 5% of the loan amount for the down payment and closing costs, as a 0% second lien repaid on sale or refinance, or as a version forgiven after three years. It is for first-time buyers, veterans and buyers in targeted areas, with a 620 credit score. My Choice Texas Home offers the same help to repeat buyers, with higher income limits and no price cap. Income limits come from the TDHCA county table effective July 13, 2026: $101,500 for one or two people and $116,725 for three or more in most counties, $119,600 for three or more in Harris County. A household of three earning $85,000 buying at $300,000 in Harris County gets $14,475, and the cash needed falls from $10,500 to $0.
The TDHCA programs, as the agency words them
| Program | Amount | Repayment (agency wording) | First-time only | Min. credit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| My First Texas Home | 0% interest; 30-year deferred repayable second lien due on sale, refinance, transfer or payoff of the first mortgage, or a 3-year deferred forgivable second lien forgiven at the 3rd anniversary if current and still the primary residence | yes | 620 | open | |
| My Choice Texas Home | same second-lien terms as My First Texas Home: 0%, 30-year deferred repayable or 3-year deferred forgivable | no | 620 | open | |
| Texas Mortgage Credit Certificate | federal tax credit on part of the mortgage interest each year | depends | open |
Both loans pay a share of the first mortgage, not of the price, so on an FHA loan with 3.5% down the help can exceed the minimum down payment; the remainder goes to closing costs. The certificate, listed third, is a tax credit rather than cash and can be combined with My First Texas Home.
Income and price limits in the large counties
| County | Income limit, 1-2 people | Income limit, 3+ people | Price limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Harris County | $104,000 | $119,600 | $566,354 |
| Dallas County | $121,100 | $139,265 | $589,596 |
| Tarrant County | $110,300 | $126,845 | $589,596 |
| Bexar County | $104,725 | $120,434 | $583,580 |
| Travis County | $134,400 | $154,560 | $598,019 |
| Collin County | $121,100 | $139,265 | $589,596 |
| El Paso County | $101,500 | $116,725 | $566,354 |
| Hidalgo County | $101,500 | $116,725 | $566,354 |
| Lubbock County | $101,500 | $116,725 | $566,354 |
The agency's table follows the federal bond rules: 100% of area median for one or two people and 115% for three or more, with higher limits in targeted areas. That is why the jump between the two columns matters: a third person in the household can open the program. Travis County sits at $154,560 for three or more, the highest of the large counties above.
Your Texas county
Help you may get in Travis County
$20,265
| Your income vs. area median for 3 people | 99% |
| HUD 80% income limit, 3 people | $96,150 |
| Down payment at 3.5% | $14,700 |
| Cash still needed with the help | $0 |
The Harris County example, line by line
| Program | Result | Amount | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| My First Texas Home | Likely fits | $14,475 | |
| Texas Mortgage Credit Certificate | Likely fits | ||
| My Choice Texas Home | Check with the agency | $14,475 | county income limit not transcribed: see the agency table |
At $130,000 the same household is above the My First Texas Home limit for Harris County, and My Choice Texas Home remains, with $14,475. The difference shows why a repeat-buyer program exists: it is the fallback for households just above the first-time limits.
HUD figures for the same counties
| County | HUD median (4 people) | HUD 80% limit (3 people) | FHA limit | Conforming limit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Harris County | $104,000 | $74,900 | $541,287 | $832,750 |
| Dallas County | $121,100 | $87,250 | $563,500 | $832,750 |
| Tarrant County | $110,300 | $79,450 | $563,500 | $832,750 |
| Bexar County | $100,600 | $72,450 | $557,750 | $832,750 |
| Travis County | $134,400 | $96,150 | $571,550 | $832,750 |
| Collin County | $121,100 | $87,250 | $563,500 | $832,750 |
The HUD median and the FHA limit set the frame; the TDHCA table above is what the lender applies. Prices in most of Texas sit well below the FHA floor of $541,287, so the agency's price limit of $566,354 rarely binds outside the largest metros. In practice the income limit decides, and the household-size jump is the lever to watch.
How to apply in Texas
You apply through a lender approved by TDHCA, not through the agency. The lender reserves the help with the first mortgage, checks the income with the agency's own rules, and sends you to an approved homebuyer course. Ask two or three approved lenders for a Loan Estimate on the same day, with and without the program, and compare the rate and fees: the help is the same everywhere, the first mortgage is not.