TSAHC Income Limits 2026

You’ve probably done the math in your head already: a decent salary, maybe two incomes, and a program with “affordable” in its name. Surely you earn too much. That was a fair guess a year ago. But TSAHC raised its income limits in 2026, and a lot of Texas households that were over the line are now well under it. This guide shows the new TSAHC income limits by county, explains which limit applies to you, and covers what happens when you add a tax credit or buy in a targeted area.

Three Reasons You Might Be Wrong About Making Too Much

• “Down payment help is for low-income buyers.” Not at TSAHC. According to TSAHC’s July 2026 announcement, Home Sweet Texas now allows incomes up to 150% of area median and Homes for Texas Heroes up to 170%. In Dallas County, that’s $181,650 and $205,870.
• “A bigger family means a lower limit for me.” For the main TSAHC options, household size doesn’t change the limit at all. A single buyer and a family of five in the same county share the same ceiling. Household size only matters if you add an MCC or use bond-funded assistance.
• “My spouse’s income will push us over.” Maybe not. For non-bond assistance without an MCC, TSAHC counts only the income of the people on the mortgage, per TSAHC’s income requirements. A non-purchasing spouse’s income isn’t included.

If you ruled yourself out before 2026, it’s worth checking again with the current numbers.

TSAHC Income Limits 2026 by County

These are the non-targeted limits for the most common TSAHC option: a loan with non-bond down payment assistance (or no assistance) and no MCC. They come from TSAHC’s county income limits tool, which replaced its old PDF table.

Glasscock County in West Texas has the highest Home Sweet Texas limit in the state, at $218,880. The $152,250 floor applies to a long list of counties across the state, which means even buyers in lower-cost areas can earn well into six figures and still qualify. If your city has its own guide, such as Dallas, Houston, Austin, or San Antonio, you’ll find the local figures there too.

Which TSAHC Income Limit Applies to You

TSAHC’s tool shows several limits for each county, and it’s easy to grab the wrong one. Your limit depends on three choices: the program, whether you add an MCC, and whether you use bond-funded assistance. Here’s how they compare in Dallas County:

A few notes on reading that table. The conventional “80% and below” figure isn’t a separate program cap. It marks a lower income tier for conventional loans, and if you earn more than that, the higher limit above still applies to you. The MCC and bond-funded limits are lower because those options follow federal tax rules, which is also why a purchase price limit comes with them. Our guide to the Mortgage Credit Certificate explains how that tax credit works.

For the 2026 purchase price limits by area, and when they apply, see our Texas purchase price limits guide.

What to do: Find your county in the first table. If you plan to add an MCC or use bond-funded assistance, look up the lower limits for your county on TSAHC’s tool as well.

How TSAHC Counts Your Income

The limit is only half of the question. The other half is which income gets measured against it. According to TSAHC’s income requirements:

• Non-bond assistance with no MCC: TSAHC counts only the income of the borrowers on the mortgage. A non-purchasing spouse’s income isn’t included.
• Assistance with an MCC, or bond-funded assistance: TSAHC counts income from everyone living in the home who has an ownership interest.
• How it’s measured: Your lender uses the income on your loan application and underwriting worksheet, generally your current gross monthly income from all sources, multiplied by 12.

That means overtime, bonuses, and a second job can count, but so can the way your lender averages them. If your income bounces around, ask your lender how they’ll calculate it before you assume you’re over or under. Our guide to Texas program eligibility and income limits goes deeper on what lenders count.

TSAHC Purchase Price Limits

If you use non-bond assistance without an MCC, TSAHC’s tool shows no purchase price limit for Home Sweet Texas or Homes for Texas Heroes. Your loan type’s own limits still apply, such as FHA loan limits. Purchase price limits apply when you add an MCC or use bond-funded assistance:

Targeted Areas Can Raise Your Limits

Targeted areas are census tracts designated as areas of economic distress. According to TSAHC’s tool, buying in one may allow higher income and purchase price limits, and it waives the first-time buyer requirement if you’re receiving an MCC or using bond-funded assistance. Your lender can check whether a specific address is in a targeted tract.

What If Your Income Is Over the TSAHC Limit?

Here’s the honest version: at 150% to 170% of area median, relatively few buyers will be over the TSAHC limit. If you are, you still have options:

1. Check whether you qualify for Homes for Texas Heroes. Teachers and other professional educators, firefighters, EMS personnel, peace officers, corrections officers, county jailers, public security officers, nursing and allied health faculty, and veterans may qualify for the higher 170% limit, per TSAHC’s Heroes program page. Our Homes for Texas Heroes guide covers the details.
2. Look at TDHCA’s My Choice Texas Home. Its limits for FHA, VA, and USDA loans are also set at 170% of AMFI, and it has no first-time buyer rule. See our TDHCA income limits guide.
3. Check who is on the loan. For non-bond assistance without an MCC, a non-purchasing spouse’s income doesn’t count.
4. Consider local programs. Some Texas cities and counties run their own assistance with different rules.

What to do: If you’re within about 10% of a limit, talk to a participating lender before you rule anything out. How they calculate your income can make the difference.

What Changed in 2026

TSAHC set its limits at 125% of AMFI in 2021, according to TSAHC’s 2021 announcement. In July 2026, it raised Home Sweet Texas to 150% and Homes for Texas Heroes to 170%. HUD also published new area median incomes, so most counties got a double lift. In Dallas County, for example, the limit rose from $146,625 to $181,650 for Home Sweet Texas and to $205,870 for Heroes. Our article on the 2026 Texas income limit increase compares the old and new figures for both state agencies.

How to Check Your TSAHC Eligibility

1. Look up your county. Use the table above or TSAHC’s county tool.
2. Decide on your structure. Grant or forgivable assistance through Home Sweet Texas, the Heroes program, an MCC, or a combination. Each can change the limit that applies.
3. Check today’s rates. Our TSAHC rates page shows the current pricing for each option.
4. Talk to a participating lender. Only lenders on TSAHC’s lender list can originate these loans and confirm your qualifying income.

If you’d like help sorting it out, you can see what you may qualify for and get connected with a licensed mortgage professional in our Texas partner network.

Income limits are one of the first places buyers talk themselves out of help, and the 2026 increase moved the line a long way. You may still hit other hurdles, like credit or cash for closing costs. But if income was the reason you stopped looking, the numbers above are a good reason to start again. You can also compare TSAHC with Texas’s other state agency in our TSAHC vs. TDHCA guide.

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, program terms, and eligibility are set by TSAHC and change periodically; figures on this page are based on TSAHC’s published county income limits tool and may lag the official source. Assistance is subject to funding availability and lender approval. The MCC is a non-refundable federal tax credit that depends on your tax liability; consult a tax professional. Confirm your eligibility with a participating licensed lender. Equal Housing Opportunity.