Ector County Down Payment Assistance 2026: TSAHC + TDHCA + MCC

Ector County (county seat: Odessa) sits in Texas with a 2024 population of approximately 165,000. The county falls within the Odessa, TX HUD Metro FMR Area for HUD Area Median Income (AMI) tables and FHA loan limits.

What Buyers Should Know

Texas homebuyers in Ector County may qualify for several state-level down payment assistance programs. TSAHC’s Home Sweet Texas Home Loan Program offers grant or forgivable-second-lien DPA up to approximately 5% of the loan amount, with income limits up to 80% of county AMI ($78,200/year for a four-person household in Ector County). TSAHC’s Homes for Texas Heroes program waives the first-time-buyer requirement for teachers, police officers, firefighters, EMS personnel, corrections officers, school staff, and other public-service occupations, with income up to 115% of county AMI ($112,355/year for a four-person household). TDHCA’s My First Texas Home and My Choice Texas Home programs offer alternative DPA structures with their own income and credit requirements. Eligible buyers may pair one of these DPA programs with the federal MCC tax credit for additional first-time-buyer benefit. Every program requires a minimum 620 FICO score with most lenders.

Ector County Market Context

Permian Basin oil + gas hub; Odessa is the county seat. UTPB anchor.

Last verified: 2026-05-19. AMI tables from huduser.gov, FHA loan limits from hud.gov, conforming limits from fhfa.gov. Always verify directly with TSAHC and TDHCA before applying.