Georgetown Down Payment Assistance: 2026 Programs & Income Limits

For several years running, Georgetown was named the fastest-growing city in America by the Census Bureau, and the people fueling that growth are exactly the buyers who assume down payment assistance was not written for them. Many are relocating, moving up, or downsizing into Sun City, which means they have owned a home before. The single most common reason they skip assistance is the belief that it is first-time-buyers-only. For most of these programs, that belief is simply wrong.

Georgetown wraps a historic limestone courthouse square, the oldest university in Texas at Southwestern, and the San Gabriel River into a city that keeps drawing new neighbors to Wolf Ranch, Berry Creek, and the Del Webb community at Sun City. As prices have risen with the demand, assistance has become more useful, not less. The income limits in the Austin–Round Rock area sit at the top of the statewide range, so the real question in Georgetown is usually which homes fall under the price limit. Here is the full 2026 picture.

Georgetown beliefs worth checking before you rule yourself out

A few assumptions keep Georgetown buyers from applying, and most do not hold up:

• “Assistance is only for first-time buyers.” For most programs it is not. TSAHC’s Home Sweet Texas and TDHCA’s My Choice Texas Home both welcome repeat buyers, which fits a city full of move-up families and Sun City downsizers.
• “My income is too high.” Often it is not. The Williamson County TSAHC limit may reach approximately $167,250 at any household size, and My Choice Texas Home may reach approximately $227,460, ceilings that clear most professional and dual-income households.
• “I would need a big down payment.” You would not. Assistance pairs with FHA at 3.5% down and conventional at 3% down and may cover much of it.
• “Nothing in Georgetown lands under the price limit.” Plenty does, from older homes near the square to many newer sections, even as the highest-end builds sit above it.

Which of these fits you depends on your income against the county limits and the price of the homes you are watching. It takes a couple of minutes to find out, and that is usually where Georgetown buyers are surprised.

What down payment assistance in Georgetown actually is

Down payment assistance in Georgetown is money that covers your down payment and usually part of your closing costs, so you bring less cash to the table. It comes mostly from two statewide agencies rather than the city: the Texas State Affordable Housing Corporation (TSAHC) and the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs (TDHCA).

Each may provide up to about 5% of your loan amount, offered as a grant or a forgivable second lien, depending on the option you pick. The assistance attaches to a normal first mortgage, FHA, conventional, VA, or USDA, so the underlying loan is ordinary. Our Texas down payment assistance hub covers how the statewide help works in depth.

Williamson County down payment assistance, and how we fit

Georgetown is the Williamson County seat, but it does not run a large open down-payment grant of its own, and the county’s housing assistance is limited and income-restricted rather than a city-wide program. Regional housing finance corporations occasionally offer help across the Austin metro, each with their own income and funding rules, worth asking about if your income is on the lower end.

To be clear: ShopDPA does not administer any Georgetown or Williamson County program, and for most buyers here it is not the practical path. The help that is open year-round, available in larger amounts, and usable by repeat buyers comes from the statewide TSAHC and TDHCA programs, which is where the licensed lenders in our network connect qualified Williamson County buyers. Any local program is education here, not the engine.

Georgetown down payment assistance income limits (2026)

Income limits are measured against the area median, and Georgetown falls inside the higher Austin–Round Rock band. The figures below show approximately how high the limits may reach for non-targeted areas in Williamson County. Treat them as “up to” guides; a participating lender confirms your exact number.

TSAHC applies one income limit at any household size, while TDHCA brackets by household. The My Choice Texas Home ceiling near $227,460, with no first-time requirement and no purchase-price cap, is the standout for Georgetown’s many repeat buyers, including those downsizing into Sun City. For first-time buyers, the lower-limit programs and the price cap come into play.

TSAHC programs for Georgetown buyers

TSAHC is the program many Georgetown buyers use. TSAHC’s down payment assistance may provide up to about 5% of the loan amount, structured three ways: a no-assistance option (first mortgage plus an optional MCC, often at the lowest rate), a grant you never repay, or a three-year forgivable second lien.

• Home Sweet Texas is the general track. If your Williamson County income fits the limit, you may qualify regardless of profession or whether you have owned before.
• Homes for Texas Heroes serves teachers, police officers, firefighters, EMS, corrections officers, nursing faculty, and veterans. Georgetown ISD staff and the city’s first responders fit here. See our Homes for Texas Heroes guide for the full occupation list.

Not every lender is approved to offer TSAHC programs, which is one reason working with a participating lender in our network matters. TSAHC publishes its full program terms on its homebuyer pages.

TDHCA programs for Georgetown buyers

TDHCA runs the other statewide track, and in Georgetown its My Choice option is often the headline:

• My First Texas Home is for first-time buyers (no ownership in the last three years) and qualified veterans, pairing a competitive first mortgage with assistance at the lower income limits above.
• My Choice Texas Home drops the first-time requirement, lifts the income ceiling to around $227,460 in the Austin–Round Rock area, and carries no purchase-price limit, which fits repeat buyers, dual-income households, and downsizers especially well.

Both live on TDHCA’s homebuyer site. For most Williamson County households there is usually a fit between the two agencies; the work is picking the right one, which the eligibility step handles. Our guide to TSAHC and how it differs from TDHCA lays out the comparison.

The MCC tax credit for Georgetown buyers

A Mortgage Credit Certificate is easy for first-time Georgetown buyers to overlook. An MCC is a federal tax credit under IRS Form 8396 that may return up to 15% of the mortgage interest you pay each year, with no annual cap, taken straight off your federal tax bill. A credit lowers what you owe dollar for dollar, which is stronger than a deduction.

The real benefit depends on your loan amount, your rate, and your federal tax liability, so it is an “up to” figure rather than a flat promise. On a Georgetown-sized loan it may add up to meaningful money, and it continues as long as you keep the loan and live in the home. TSAHC issues the MCC for qualifying first-time buyers, and our Texas MCC guide walks through the math.

How Georgetown DPA works with FHA, VA, USDA, and conventional loans

Assistance is not its own loan type. It rides on top of a standard first mortgage, and the right base loan depends on your credit, your cash, and what you are buying. In Georgetown, conventional and FHA financing are both common, and each pairs with assistance a little differently.

Parts of outer Williamson County around Georgetown can fall in USDA-eligible rural areas, which is worth checking if you are looking toward the edges of the county. Veterans have their own path: beyond a VA home loan, the Texas Veterans Land Board offers below-market loan options for Texas veterans. Our Texas VA loan guide covers the veteran path in detail.

TSAHC vs TDHCA: which Georgetown program fits?

The two agencies overlap, so here is how they compare at a glance for a Williamson County household.

For most Georgetown buyers the choice comes down to two questions: are you a first-time buyer, and where does your income sit against each limit? Because so many Georgetown buyers have owned before, the no-first-time-rule programs carry extra weight here. A participating lender can compare both on your real numbers.

Where you buy in Georgetown changes the picture

Georgetown spans a wide range, from historic cottages near the square to large new builds, so where you shop decides whether assistance reaches a home. The roughly $593,363 purchase-price limit is the line that matters for the first-time and Home Sweet Texas tracks; My Choice Texas Home carries no price cap at all.

• Older neighborhoods near the courthouse square and Southwestern University hold many homes that land under the price limit.
• Georgetown Village, Berry Creek, and Sun City offer a wide mix, with plenty of homes that still fit, and Sun City’s resale market suits repeat buyers using My Choice.
• Wolf Ranch, Rancho Sienna, and Water Oak trend higher, and the newest builds can sit near or above the limit; a lender can confirm whether a specific home qualifies.

Buyers comparing options often look south at Round Rock and Cedar Park, which share the same Williamson County limits. Our Austin pillar covers the wider metro for buyers weighing several suburbs.

Georgetown school districts and the Homes for Texas Heroes program

Most of the city is served by Georgetown ISD, with the southern and eastern edges falling inside Round Rock ISD, Liberty Hill ISD, and Jarrell ISD. Add Southwestern University and the hospitals and employers along Williams Drive and I-35, and the area is full of people whose jobs qualify them for the Homes for Texas Heroes program.

Teachers, aides, counselors, librarians, and school nurses across those districts qualify, as do Georgetown’s police officers, firefighters, and EMS. The Heroes program offers the same assistance as Home Sweet Texas, framed for your profession, with no first-time-buyer requirement. Our Texas teacher home loan guide explains how district employment verification works.

Credit score requirements for Georgetown DPA

Most TSAHC and TDHCA programs start around a 620 credit score. That is well short of “perfect,” and it surprises buyers who assumed assistance demanded a spotless file. Your score shapes your interest rate and which assistance option fits, but 620 is the number to aim for, and some loan types flex around it depending on the rest of your application.

If you are under 620 right now, treat it as a timeline rather than a closed door. A participating lender or a HUD-approved housing counselor can usually point to the few specific moves that may lift your score into range. A stronger score also helps your offer stand out in a fast-moving Georgetown market.

Homebuyer education for Georgetown buyers

Most assistance programs require a short homebuyer education course before you close. It covers budgeting, the loan process, and what to expect at closing, and buyers who take it tend to do better over the long run. You can find a HUD-approved counselor through the CFPB’s housing counselor tool, and your lender confirms which specific course your program accepts.

Recapture tax for Georgetown DPA buyers (IRS §143)

Some TSAHC and TDHCA bond-backed programs carry a federal recapture provision under IRS §143. A recapture tax may apply only if all three of these happen together: you sell within nine years, your income at sale is significantly above the program limits, and you realize a capital gain. If any one of those is not true, there is generally nothing to recapture.

Very few buyers ever owe it, and both agencies offer reimbursement programs that may cover a recapture tax if it is ever triggered. The mechanics live on IRS Form 8828. We mention it for honesty, not alarm; a participating lender explains how it applies to the program you choose.

Step by step: from form to closing day in Georgetown

1. Check where you stand. Spend a couple of minutes on the eligibility step so we understand your income, location, and goals.
2. Connect with a participating lender. We introduce you to a licensed mortgage professional in our network who is approved to offer TSAHC and TDHCA programs in the Georgetown area.
3. Get pre-qualified and pick your program. Your lender checks your income against the Williamson County limits, reviews your credit, and helps you choose the assistance option that fits.
4. Finish homebuyer education. Complete the short HUD-approved course your program requires, online or in person.
5. Shop, offer, and close. House-hunt across Georgetown with your assistance lined up and bring far less cash to closing than you expected.

Documents to have ready for pre-qualification

You do not need these to begin, but they speed things up once you connect with a lender:

• Recent pay stubs (about 30 days) and the last two years of W-2s or tax returns
• Two months of bank statements
• A government-issued ID
• Your DD-214 if you are using a VA loan or the Heroes/veteran track
• A rough idea of your target Georgetown neighborhoods and price range

Georgetown down payment assistance: frequently asked questions

Georgetown down payment assistance: 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 the City of Georgetown, Williamson County, TSAHC, TDHCA, HUD, the IRS, the VA, or any government agency. Program terms, income limits, purchase-price limits, and tax-credit amounts are set by the applicable agency, lender, or insurer and may change; confirm current details with a participating licensed lender. Equal Housing Opportunity.