TSAHC Income Limits

If you have ruled out down payment assistance because you assumed you earn too much, the TSAHC income limits are worth a real look. They are higher than most people guess, they are set county by county rather than as one statewide number, and they work in an unusually buyer-friendly way: one limit applies no matter how many people are in your household. A lot of working Texans who think they are over the line are actually under it.

This page explains how the Texas State Affordable Housing Corporation sets its income limits for the Home Sweet Texas and Homes for Texas Heroes programs, shows the figures for the major metros, and walks through what happens if your income runs above the limit. The numbers come from TSAHC’s own published income and guideline limits.

“I make too much for a program like this” — let’s check

The income limit is where most buyers count themselves out, usually too soon. A few things to know before you do:

• The limits are high. In the major Texas metros the TSAHC income limit may reach approximately $146,625 to $167,250 for a household of any size. That covers a large share of dual-income professional households.
• One limit, any household size. TSAHC does not lower your limit because you are single or raise the bar only for big families. The same county ceiling applies whether you are one person or a family of six.
• Over the limit is not the end. If your income runs above TSAHC’s ceiling, TDHCA’s My Choice Texas Home uses a higher one, so there is often still a program that fits.

The only way to know is to check your actual household income against your county’s limit. It takes a minute, and it surprises more buyers than almost any other step.

What are TSAHC income limits?

A TSAHC income limit is the maximum household income you can have and still qualify for the agency’s down payment assistance and Mortgage Credit Certificate programs. TSAHC ties the limits to each county’s area median family income, so a high-cost metro like Austin carries a higher ceiling than a smaller market. The programs are meant for low-to-moderate-income buyers, but in Texas’s expensive metros “moderate” reaches well into six figures.

Two details make TSAHC’s limits friendlier than many programs. First, the income limit applies at any household size, so you are not penalized for a smaller household. Second, the figures we feature are the non-targeted, above-80%-of-area-median tier, which is the higher limit that most working buyers qualify under. There is a lower tier tied to specific loan types, but the headline number is the one most buyers care about.

TSAHC income limits by metro (2026)

Here are the TSAHC income and purchase-price limits for several of the largest Texas metros. Treat them as “up to” figures; a participating lender confirms the exact current number for your specific county.

These are the non-targeted, any-household-size figures. Your county’s number may differ slightly, and counties not listed here generally fall in the same range as the smaller metros shown. For the official, county-by-county figures at any moment, TSAHC publishes its combined income and purchase-price limits. Our city guides for Dallas, Houston, and Austin show how these limits play out locally.

How the income limit is calculated

TSAHC bases its limits on the area median family income that HUD publishes for each county or metro area each year, then sets the program ceiling as a percentage of that median. Because the median rises in expensive areas, the program limit rises too. Lenders count the qualifying income of the borrowers on the loan against that ceiling. What counts and what does not can be specific, so a participating lender is the one who confirms your qualifying income figure, but as a rule the limit is generous enough that most working households fit.

Income limits change periodically, usually once a year when HUD updates its median-income data, so a figure from a year ago is not a reliable guide today. That is why we point to TSAHC’s current published limits rather than freezing a number in place.

Purchase-price limits go with the income limits

Alongside the income ceiling, TSAHC sets a maximum purchase price for the home. In the major metros that price limit may reach approximately $544,232 to $593,363, which covers a large share of what is actually for sale. Both limits have to be satisfied: your income under the county ceiling, and the home under the county price cap. The table above shows the price limit next to each metro’s income limit so you can see them together.

Targeted areas have higher limits

HUD designates certain census tracts as “targeted areas,” usually lower-income or economically distressed neighborhoods that programs are encouraged to serve. In those areas, TSAHC’s income and purchase-price limits are higher, and some first-time-buyer rules are relaxed. If the home you are considering sits in a targeted tract, you may qualify even with an income above the standard county limit. A participating lender can check whether a specific address falls in a targeted area.

What if your income is over the TSAHC limit?

An income above TSAHC’s ceiling does not mean you are out of options. TDHCA, the state’s other housing agency, runs My Choice Texas Home, which carries a higher income limit and has no first-time-buyer requirement. In the major metros that limit may reach approximately $192,950 or more, which clears many higher earners. Our Texas down payment assistance hub compares the TSAHC and TDHCA programs side by side, and a participating lender can tell you which one fits your county and household.

Which TSAHC program do these limits apply to?

The same county income limits apply across TSAHC’s main programs: Home Sweet Texas for buyers with low-to-moderate incomes, and Homes for Texas Heroes for teachers, police, firefighters, EMS, corrections officers, nurses, and veterans. The Mortgage Credit Certificate, a federal tax credit under IRS Form 8396, uses the same income limits and is reserved for first-time buyers. Whichever fits your situation, the income ceiling is the one tied to your county, and our TSAHC interest rates guide shows the current rate for each program option.

How to check your county’s limit

1. Find your county. TSAHC limits are set by county, so start with where you plan to buy, not where you live now.
2. Check the current figure. The table above covers the major metros; for the exact, current number for any Texas county, use TSAHC’s published limits PDF.
3. Compare your household income. Add up the qualifying income for everyone who will be on the loan and compare it to your county ceiling.
4. Confirm with a lender. What counts as qualifying income has specifics, so a participating lender gives you the definitive answer and checks the higher TDHCA limit if you are close to the line.

TSAHC income limits: frequently asked questions

TSAHC income limits: frequently asked questions

† ShopDPA is The Texas Down Payment Assistance Marketplace, a home loan and down payment assistance referral service. We are not a mortgage lender, mortgage broker, or loan officer, and we do not originate, fund, or service loans. We connect Texas homebuyers with licensed mortgage professionals and with down payment assistance programs. We are not affiliated with TSAHC, TDHCA, HUD, the IRS, or any government agency. Income limits, purchase-price limits, and program terms are set by the applicable agency and change periodically; the figures shown here feature non-targeted, above-80%-AMFI tiers and may not reflect the most recent update. Confirm the current limit for your county with a participating licensed lender. Equal Housing Opportunity.