Texas Region
East Texas Down Payment Assistance: 2026 Programs by County
East Texas stretches from the Louisiana line through the Piney Woods — including Smith, Gregg, Harrison, Cherokee, and Henderson counties. Down payment assistance through TSAHC and TDHCA may help eligible buyers across the region, often with no first-time-buyer requirement.
Counties in East Texas
-
Brazoria County
Buyers along the Gulf Coast in Brazoria County may find a home closer than they think with a little help on the up-front cost. Eligible buyers can pair an affordable first mortgage with TSAHC or TDHCA down payment assistance and the MCC tax credit, often covering most of the cash they'd otherwise bring to closing.
View -
Fort Bend County
Fort Bend County — Sugar Land, Katy, Richmond, Missouri City — is one of Houston's most sought-after suburbs, and the up-front cash is the usual sticking point. Eligible buyers may qualify for TSAHC or TDHCA down payment assistance and the federal MCC tax credit, with income limits set higher than most families assume.
View -
Galveston County
From Galveston Island to League City and the mainland, Galveston County offers coastal living within reach of Houston jobs. Eligible buyers may pair an affordable first mortgage with TSAHC or TDHCA down payment assistance and the MCC tax credit, often covering most of what they'd bring to closing.
View -
Harris County
Harris County is the heart of Houston, and the biggest barrier to buying here is almost always the cash up front. Eligible buyers may shrink it with TSAHC or TDHCA down payment assistance and the federal MCC tax credit; inside Houston city limits, the City's Homebuyer Assistance Program is worth knowing about. The income limits reach higher than most buyers expect.
View -
Jefferson County
Jefferson County — Beaumont, Port Arthur, and the Southeast Texas coast — offers some of the most attainable prices in the region, and help is available on the up-front cost. Eligible buyers may qualify for TSAHC or TDHCA down payment assistance and the MCC tax credit, often reaching closing with little cash down.
View -
Montgomery County
Montgomery County — Conroe, The Woodlands, Magnolia — anchors Houston's fast-growing north side, and the cash to close is the usual hurdle. Eligible buyers may qualify for TSAHC or TDHCA down payment assistance and the federal MCC tax credit, with income limits higher than most families assume.
View -
Smith County
Smith County and Tyler anchor East Texas with rose-city charm and attainable prices. Eligible buyers may qualify for TSAHC or TDHCA down payment assistance and the MCC tax credit, often reaching closing with little out of pocket.
View
Cities in East Texas
-
Beaumont
Beaumont anchors Southeast Texas with attainable Gulf-coast prices, and there's more help available than many buyers realize. Eligible buyers may qualify for TSAHC or TDHCA down payment assistance and the MCC tax credit, and Beaumont ISD staff may add the Homes for Texas Heroes program.
View -
Cypress
Cypress, in northwest Harris County's Cy-Fair area, is one of Houston's most popular family suburbs. Eligible buyers may qualify for TSAHC or TDHCA down payment assistance and the federal MCC tax credit, and Cy-Fair ISD teachers and staff may add Homes for Texas Heroes. (The City of Houston program applies only inside the city limits.)
View -
Katy
Katy, west of Houston across Harris, Fort Bend, and Waller counties, is one of the area's most popular family suburbs, anchored by Katy ISD. Eligible buyers may qualify for TSAHC or TDHCA down payment assistance and the federal MCC tax credit, and Katy ISD staff may add Homes for Texas Heroes. (The City of Houston program applies only inside the city limits.)
View -
League City
League City, the largest city in Galveston County on Clear Lake between Houston and the coast, is a favorite for families and aerospace workers. Eligible buyers may qualify for TSAHC or TDHCA down payment assistance and the federal MCC tax credit, and Clear Creek ISD staff may add Homes for Texas Heroes.
View -
Pearland
Pearland, just south of Houston in north Brazoria County, is one of the area's most popular suburbs. Eligible buyers may qualify for TSAHC or TDHCA down payment assistance and the federal MCC tax credit, and Pearland ISD and Alvin ISD staff may add Homes for Texas Heroes.
View -
Spring
Spring, in north Harris County near The Woodlands, is a popular, affordable Houston-area community. Eligible buyers may qualify for TSAHC or TDHCA down payment assistance and the federal MCC tax credit, and Spring ISD and Klein ISD staff may add Homes for Texas Heroes.
View -
Sugar Land
Sugar Land, in northeast Fort Bend County southwest of Houston, is one of the area's most desirable master-planned suburbs. Eligible buyers may qualify for TSAHC or TDHCA down payment assistance and the federal MCC tax credit, with income limits higher than most families expect, and Fort Bend ISD staff may add Homes for Texas Heroes.
View -
The Woodlands
The Woodlands, a sought-after master-planned community in Montgomery County north of Houston, is a top draw for families and professionals. Eligible buyers may qualify for TSAHC or TDHCA down payment assistance and the federal MCC tax credit, with income limits higher than many expect, and Conroe ISD staff may add Homes for Texas Heroes.
View
School Districts in East Texas
-
Beaumont ISD
For the roughly 17,000-student Beaumont ISD, educators and staff are exactly who Homes for Texas Heroes was designed to help. Eligible Beaumont ISD employees may qualify for TSAHC down payment assistance, often about 5% of the loan amount, with no first-time-buyer requirement and an optional MCC tax credit.
View -
Clear Creek ISD
Clear Creek ISD educators around League City and the Bay Area may qualify for meaningful home-buying help. Through Homes for Texas Heroes, eligible school staff may receive TSAHC down payment assistance, roughly 5% of the loan amount, with no first-time-buyer requirement, plus an MCC tax credit.
View -
Conroe ISD
Conroe ISD, one of the largest districts in the Houston area, employs thousands of educators who may qualify for home-buying help. Through Homes for Texas Heroes, eligible staff may receive TSAHC down payment assistance, about 5% of the loan amount, with no first-time-buyer requirement, plus an MCC tax credit.
View -
Cy-Fair ISD
Cy-Fair ISD is one of the largest districts in Texas, and its educators are squarely who Homes for Texas Heroes serves. Eligible Cy-Fair teachers and staff may qualify for TSAHC down payment assistance, often about 5% of the loan amount, with no first-time-buyer requirement and an MCC tax credit option.
View -
Fort Bend ISD
Fort Bend ISD, one of the Houston area's largest districts, employs thousands of educators who may qualify for home-buying help. Through Homes for Texas Heroes, eligible staff may receive TSAHC down payment assistance, about 5% of the loan amount, with no first-time-buyer requirement, plus an MCC tax credit.
View -
Klein ISD
Klein ISD teachers and staff in north Harris County may have more help available than they realize. Through Homes for Texas Heroes, eligible employees may qualify for TSAHC down payment assistance, typically around 5% of the loan amount, with no first-time-buyer requirement and an MCC tax credit.
View -
Pearland ISD
Pearland ISD teachers and staff south of Houston may have more home-buying help than they realize. Through Homes for Texas Heroes, eligible employees may qualify for TSAHC down payment assistance, typically around 5% of the loan amount, with no first-time-buyer requirement and an MCC tax credit.
View
East Texas is anchored by Houston — the largest metropolitan area in the state — and extends through Beaumont-Port Arthur on the Gulf Coast and Tyler in the Piney Woods. The region covers Harris, Fort Bend, Montgomery, Brazoria, Galveston, Jefferson, and Smith counties.
What Buyers Should Know
East Texas is anchored by Houston — the largest metropolitan area in the state — and extends through Beaumont-Port Arthur on the Gulf Coast and Tyler in the Piney Woods. The region covers Harris, Fort Bend, Montgomery, Brazoria, Galveston, Jefferson, and Smith counties. Buyers in this region may qualify for TSAHC Home Sweet Texas Home (grant or forgivable second lien up to 5% of the loan amount), TSAHC Homes for Texas Heroes (for teachers, police, firefighters, EMS, corrections officers, veterans, and other public-service occupations), TDHCA My First Texas Home and My Choice Texas Home, plus the MCC tax credit for first-time buyers with eligible income. Each program has its own income limits, FICO floor (most start at 620), and purchase price caps that vary by county. Eligible buyers may pair one DPA program with the MCC for additional first-time-buyer benefit.
Houston metro market context
Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land is the largest Texas MSA by population. The 2026 HUD Area Median Income for the Houston metro is $96,000 for a four-person household. FHA loan limits sit at the statewide floor of $524,225 for one-unit properties — Houston-area home prices stay below the high-cost tier despite the metro’s size. Galveston County buyers should plan for flood insurance costs in coastal flood zones, and Brazoria + Jefferson buyers near the petrochemical corridor often see employer-tied down payment assistance options in addition to state programs.
Counties Covered
This region includes 7 Texas counties with active ShopDPA coverage. Select a county to view its 2026 AMI tables, FHA loan limits, property tax rates, and the cities, school districts, and military bases within it:
- Brazoria County
- Fort Bend County
- Galveston County
- Harris County
- Jefferson County
- Montgomery County
- Smith County
See If You May Qualify
The fastest way to find out which Texas down payment assistance programs you may qualify for is the quick eligibility check on our homepage. The check runs in under a minute and walks through TSAHC, TDHCA, and MCC eligibility based on your income, credit, and first-time-buyer status.
Last verified: 2026-05-19. Program details and dollar amounts are current as of the date stamped above; always verify directly with the program administrator (TSAHC, TDHCA, HUD) before making a home-purchase decision.