Income limits · North Carolina

Income limits and price caps in North Carolina

80 North Carolina programs publish an income limit, a price cap, or both. Most write the limit as a share of the county’s area median income.80 North Carolina programs publish an income limit, a purchase price cap, or both. Most write the limit as a share of the county’s area median income. Here is how to read one.

01
HUD sets the median
Each year, for every county, quoted for a household of four.Each year HUD publishes the area median income for every county, quoted for a household of four.
02
The program picks a share
Up to that share of the median for the county where the home is.A limit written as a share of area median income means up to that share of the median for the county where the home is.
03
The agency publishes the dollars
Adjusted for household size, in the program’s own table. That table is the one that counts.The program adjusts its limit for household size and county, and publishes its own table. That table is the one that counts.

Area median income by county

Find your county’s median

HUD’s four-person figure. Programs adjust it for household size.HUD’s four-person figure for the county where the home is. A program applies its percentage to this number, adjusted for household size by the program.

County	Area median income, 4 people	Programs in county	HUD year	Link
Guilford	$91,500	6	FY2026	Guilford programs →
Mecklenburg	$117,400	5	FY2026	Mecklenburg programs →
Wake	$132,300	5	FY2026	Wake programs →
New Hanover	$109,200	4	FY2026	New Hanover programs →
Cumberland	$81,900	3	FY2026	Cumberland programs →
Pitt	$88,800	3	FY2026	Pitt programs →
Buncombe	$103,200	2	FY2026	Buncombe programs →
Durham	$129,900	2	FY2026	Durham programs →
Forsyth	$96,700	2	FY2026	Forsyth programs →
Orange	$129,900	2	FY2026	Orange programs →
Brunswick	$99,200	1	FY2026	Brunswick programs →
Cabarrus	$117,400	1	FY2026	Cabarrus programs →
Chatham	$129,900	1	FY2026	Chatham programs →
Craven	$87,000	1	FY2026	Craven programs →
Gaston	$117,400	1	FY2026	Gaston programs →
Haywood	$86,700	1	FY2026	Haywood programs →
Onslow	$85,400	1	FY2026	Onslow programs →
Randolph	$91,500	1	FY2026	Randolph programs →
Rowan	$79,000	1	FY2026	Rowan programs →
Rutherford	$77,200	1	FY2026	Rutherford programs →
Transylvania	$89,000	1	FY2026	Transylvania programs →
Union	$117,400	1	FY2026	Union programs →
Watauga	$86,900	1	FY2026	Watauga programs →
Wayne	$70,300	1	FY2026	Wayne programs →
Alamance	$88,600	0	FY2026	Alamance programs →
Alexander	$85,200	0	FY2026	Alexander programs →
Alleghany	$71,000	0	FY2026	Alleghany programs →
Anson	$69,700	0	FY2026	Anson programs →
Ashe	$77,000	0	FY2026	Ashe programs →
Avery	$88,800	0	FY2026	Avery programs →
Beaufort	$77,100	0	FY2026	Beaufort programs →
Bertie	$69,200	0	FY2026	Bertie programs →
Bladen	$65,400	0	FY2026	Bladen programs →
Burke	$85,200	0	FY2026	Burke programs →
Caldwell	$85,200	0	FY2026	Caldwell programs →
Camden	$105,500	0	FY2026	Camden programs →
Carteret	$103,500	0	FY2026	Carteret programs →
Caswell	$76,300	0	FY2026	Caswell programs →
Catawba	$85,200	0	FY2026	Catawba programs →
Cherokee	$73,900	0	FY2026	Cherokee programs →
Chowan	$76,900	0	FY2026	Chowan programs →
Clay	$86,300	0	FY2026	Clay programs →
Cleveland	$82,800	0	FY2026	Cleveland programs →
Columbus	$67,300	0	FY2026	Columbus programs →
Currituck	$107,700	0	FY2026	Currituck programs →
Dare	$116,900	0	FY2026	Dare programs →
Davidson	$86,000	0	FY2026	Davidson programs →
Davie	$96,700	0	FY2026	Davie programs →
Duplin	$72,100	0	FY2026	Duplin programs →
Edgecombe	$80,200	0	FY2026	Edgecombe programs →
Franklin	$132,300	0	FY2026	Franklin programs →
Gates	$83,900	0	FY2026	Gates programs →
Graham	$67,400	0	FY2026	Graham programs →
Granville	$87,800	0	FY2026	Granville programs →
Greene	$63,400	0	FY2026	Greene programs →
Halifax	$63,600	0	FY2026	Halifax programs →
Harnett	$88,300	0	FY2026	Harnett programs →
Henderson	$103,200	0	FY2026	Henderson programs →
Hertford	$67,700	0	FY2026	Hertford programs →
Hoke	$77,900	0	FY2026	Hoke programs →
Hyde	$62,700	0	FY2026	Hyde programs →
Iredell	$107,300	0	FY2026	Iredell programs →
Jackson	$78,200	0	FY2026	Jackson programs →
Johnston	$132,300	0	FY2026	Johnston programs →
Jones	$75,900	0	FY2026	Jones programs →
Lee	$85,400	0	FY2026	Lee programs →
Lenoir	$65,100	0	FY2026	Lenoir programs →
Lincoln	$105,600	0	FY2026	Lincoln programs →
Macon	$79,100	0	FY2026	Macon programs →
Madison	$103,200	0	FY2026	Madison programs →
Martin	$69,400	0	FY2026	Martin programs →
McDowell	$75,700	0	FY2026	McDowell programs →
Mitchell	$77,900	0	FY2026	Mitchell programs →
Montgomery	$69,400	0	FY2026	Montgomery programs →
Moore	$106,300	0	FY2026	Moore programs →
Nash	$80,200	0	FY2026	Nash programs →
Northampton	$66,600	0	FY2026	Northampton programs →
Pamlico	$90,700	0	FY2026	Pamlico programs →
Pasquotank	$84,300	0	FY2026	Pasquotank programs →
Pender	$110,600	0	FY2026	Pender programs →
Perquimans	$90,400	0	FY2026	Perquimans programs →
Person	$85,400	0	FY2026	Person programs →
Polk	$93,800	0	FY2026	Polk programs →
Richmond	$62,000	0	FY2026	Richmond programs →
Robeson	$59,300	0	FY2026	Robeson programs →
Rockingham	$76,600	0	FY2026	Rockingham programs →
Sampson	$73,400	0	FY2026	Sampson programs →
Scotland	$62,100	0	FY2026	Scotland programs →
Stanly	$80,400	0	FY2026	Stanly programs →
Stokes	$96,700	0	FY2026	Stokes programs →
Surry	$72,700	0	FY2026	Surry programs →
Swain	$72,900	0	FY2026	Swain programs →
Tyrrell	$64,200	0	FY2026	Tyrrell programs →
Vance	$67,800	0	FY2026	Vance programs →
Warren	$62,600	0	FY2026	Warren programs →
Washington	$69,500	0	FY2026	Washington programs →
Wilkes	$67,400	0	FY2026	Wilkes programs →
Wilson	$84,000	0	FY2026	Wilson programs →
Yadkin	$96,700	0	FY2026	Yadkin programs →
Yancey	$85,300	0	FY2026	Yancey programs →

HUD FY2026 Income Limits, median family income for a four-person household. Program counts: programs whose record names the county, Hey Prescott, verified June–September 2026. Statewide programs apply too.

How programs set their limits

The percentage each program publishesThe percentage each North Carolina program publishes

Grouped by the limit in each program’s own record.Grouped by the limit written in the program’s own record. A program may also set lower tiers inside its limit; the program page has the details.

Up to 80% AMI

63 programs

All 63 →

Up to 120% AMI

5 programs

All 5 →

Homebuying HERO Program (City of Fayetteville)

Up to 110% AMI

3 programs

Up to 115% AMI

2 programs

Up to 60% AMI

1 program

City of Wilmington HOP 2gether Program

Other limits

140% AMI · 1
- Affordable Housing 10% Loan Assistance Program
150% AMI · 1
- Down Payment Assistance
No percentage published · 4
Each sets its limit another way: a dollar figure, the agency’s own words, or a price cap only.
All 4 →

Limits as written in each program record, Hey Prescott, verified June–September 2026. Confirm current limits with the administering agency.

Purchase price caps

17 programs also cap the home’s price17 programs also cap the price of the home

The highest price the program accepts, as it publishes it.The cap is the highest purchase price the program accepts, as the program publishes it.

Program	County	Income limit	Price cap
NC 1st Home Advantage Down Payment	Statewide	—	$495,000
Down Payment Assistance	Statewide	150% AMI	$456,000
Enhanced Homebuyer Assistance Program	Wake	80% AMI	$450,000
City of Raleigh Homebuyer Assistance Program	Wake	80% AMI	$371,000
Charlotte House Charlotte	Mecklenburg	80% AMI	$350,000
Community Partners Loan Pool (CPLP)	Statewide	80% AMI	$342,000
Downpayment Assistance Program	Cabarrus	80% AMI	$329,000
Doorway to Prosperity	Mecklenburg	110% AMI	$315,000
HouseCharlotte - Program 1A	Mecklenburg	80% AMI	$315,000
HouseCharlotte - Program 1B	Mecklenburg	110% AMI	$315,000
Homebuyer's Assistance Program (HOME)	Gaston	80% AMI	$308,000
Core City Homebuyer Incentive Program	Guilford	—	$300,000
Affordable Homeownership Opportunity Program (AHOP)	Forsyth	80% AMI	$290,000
Down Payment Assistance Program	Nash, Edgecombe	120% AMI	$276,000
Affordable Housing 10% Loan Assistance Program	Pitt	140% AMI	$266,000
Unifour Consortium Down-Payment Assistance Program	Catawba; Burke; Caldwell; Alexander	80% AMI	$243,000
HOME Down Payment Assistance	Pitt	80% AMI	$150,000

All 17 price caps →

Downpayment Assistance Program$329,000
Doorway to Prosperity$315,000
HouseCharlotte - Program 1A$315,000
HouseCharlotte - Program 1B$315,000
Homebuyer's Assistance Program (HOME)$308,000
Core City Homebuyer Incentive Program$300,000
Affordable Homeownership Opportunity Program (AHOP)$290,000
Down Payment Assistance Program$276,000
Affordable Housing 10% Loan Assistance Program$266,000
Unifour Consortium Down-Payment Assistance Program$243,000
HOME Down Payment Assistance$150,000

Sorted by cap. Caps as published by each agency, Hey Prescott program records, verified June–September 2026.

Not sure where your income lands?

63 HUD-approved counseling agencies in North Carolina63 HUD-approved housing counseling agencies in North Carolina

A counselor can walk through a program’s own income table with you, for free.A counselor can walk through a program’s own income table with you, for free. Create an account, take the 90-second match, and we’ll show the counselors near you.

Find my counselor

Free account → 90-second match → your counselors

Keep exploring North Carolina

North Carolina programs80 programsBack to North Carolina →All 100 countiesLocal programs and mediansSee counties →19 cities with a programchapel hill, charlotte, concord and moreSee cities →How income limits workCounted across every stateRead it →

Questions, answered

What are the income limits for down payment assistance in North Carolina?

80 down payment assistance programs in North Carolina publish an income limit, a purchase price cap, or both. 76 express the limit as a share of the area median income for the county where the home is, and 34 publish a flat dollar figure instead.

Why does the same program have different income limits in different counties?

Because most limits are set as a share of area median income, which HUD publishes per county and revises annually. A program with one published share therefore admits a different dollar figure in each county, and the program adjusts that figure for household size in its own table.

Is a published limit the same as being approved?

No. An income limit is one eligibility rule among several — credit requirements, purchase price caps, occupancy rules and homebuyer education all apply separately, and the first-mortgage lender underwrites on its own terms. Always confirm current figures with the administering agency.

Is Hey Prescott a lender?

No. Hey Prescott is an educational directory of down payment assistance programs. We list programs and link to official sources; we do not make loans or give individualized lending advice.

Sources

U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, FY2026 Income Limits: median family income, four-person household, by county. HUD’s own household-size tables →
Program limits and price caps: each administering agency, as recorded by Hey Prescott, verified June–September 2026.
HUD-approved housing counseling agencies: HUD agency list.