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

Cities in East Texas

School Districts in East Texas

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-Pasadena is the second-largest metro in Texas by population. For 2026, the Home Sweet Texas income limit from TSAHC is $156,000 in Harris, Fort Bend, Montgomery, and Galveston counties and $189,000 in Brazoria County, at any household size. TDHCA‘s My First Texas Home limit for a household of 1-2 people is $104,000 in the Houston area. The 2026 FHA loan limit for a one-unit home in Harris County is the national floor of $541,287, according to HUD. Galveston County buyers should plan for flood insurance costs in coastal flood zones.

Counties Covered

This region includes 7 Texas counties with active ShopDPA coverage. Select a county to view its 2026 program income limits, FHA loan limits, property tax rates, and the cities, school districts, and military bases within it:

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.

Program details and dollar amounts can change, so always verify directly with the program administrator (TSAHC, TDHCA, HUD) before making a home-purchase decision.

Find Your Texas Down Payment Assistance.

We will show you which Texas state programs (TSAHC, TDHCA, and the federal MCC tax credit) fit your situation, then introduce you to a Texas-licensed mortgage professional in our partner network who closes these programs every month.

Check My Eligibility 📞 (469) 951-8909