Down Payment Assistance in Cook County
Program and regulatory figures verified September 25, 2026. Details change; confirm your scenario with us.
Cook is the state's biggest market and the one where the gap between the two income ladders does the most damage. It is also where targeted status is most worth checking.
The Cook County numbers
| Test | Non-targeted | Targeted |
|---|---|---|
| General income limit | $170,100 | $170,100 |
| AccessHome, 1-2 people | $121,500 | $145,800 |
| AccessHome, 3 or more | $139,725 | $170,100 |
| Purchase price, one unit | $666,354 | $792,211 |
Cook shares its income tier with DuPage, Kane, Lake, McHenry and Will per the IHDA income and purchase price limits. It is not treated differently from the collar counties on any figure. The collar counties page.
The $48,600 problem
Two salaries in Chicago add up quickly. A couple at $130,000 combined is well inside the general limit of $170,100 and well outside AccessHome's $121,500.
That household can have $10,000 repayable, $7,500 deferred or $6,000 forgivable. What it cannot have, without something changing, is the $15,000. For many Cook County buyers that is the entire shape of the decision. Compare the four.
Which makes targeted status worth a check on every address
A targeted Cook address moves the AccessHome ceiling from $121,500 to $145,800 for a one or two person household. For three or more it goes to $170,100, matching the general limit exactly, and the tighter ladder stops existing.
It also waives the first-time buyer requirement, which matters for anyone who has owned before.
Targeted status is set at address level, so two homes on the same block can differ. We do not publish a list, because a stale list that talks a buyer out of a house is worse than one lookup. Check the address with IHDA's tool, or send it to us. What targeted status is worth.
The market against the cap
Chicago's typical home value was $357,265 in August 2026, up 4.9% year over year. Against a $666,354 non-targeted cap that leaves $309,089 of headroom, so the purchase price test passes quietly for the overwhelming majority of Cook County purchases.
Under AccessHome the cap drops to $566,354, still far above typical values. The price limit is not what stops Cook County buyers. The income ladder is.
On county-level programs
We originate IHDA assistance in Cook County and that is what this site covers. Where a municipal or county-level program exists separately, it is outside what we are approved to originate, and we would rather point you at IHDA accurately than list programs we cannot deliver.
See also the eligibility test, all four income ladders and send us your scenario.
Frequently asked questions
What is the income limit for down payment assistance in Cook County?
$170,100 for IHDAccess Repayable, Deferred and Forgivable, effective 7-1-2026, and that figure applies to any household size. IHDAccess Home uses lower limits of $121,500 for a one or two person household and $139,725 for three or more. In a targeted Cook County area the AccessHome limits rise to $145,800 and $170,100.
Why can't many Chicago couples use IHDAccess Home?
Because its income limit for a one or two person household in Cook County is $121,500, against $170,100 for the other three programs, a gap of $48,600. Two professional salaries in Chicago frequently land between those two figures, which leaves the household eligible for assistance but not for the largest program. A targeted address raises the AccessHome limit to $145,800.
What is the purchase price limit for IHDA in Cook County?
$666,354 for a non-targeted one-unit home, the same figure that applies in every Illinois county. Under IHDAccess Home it is $566,354. In a targeted area the caps rise to $792,211 and $692,211. With Chicago's typical home value at $357,265 as of August 2026, the price cap leaves $309,089 of headroom and rarely affects eligibility.
Is Cook County treated differently from the collar counties by IHDA?
No. Cook shares its income tier with DuPage, Kane, Lake, McHenry and Will, all at $170,100 for the general programs and $121,500 or $139,725 for IHDAccess Home. Kendall County sits on a separate and higher tier at $190,120. Purchase price limits and the $832,750 conforming loan limit are identical across all of them.
How do I know if a Chicago address is in a targeted area?
Use IHDA's property lookup tool, which its limit sheet names as the way to determine whether a property is located in a targeted area. Targeted status is set at the address level rather than by neighbourhood or county, so two nearby homes can differ. It is worth checking on any address you are considering, because it waives the first-time buyer requirement and raises the IHDAccess Home income limit by $24,300 for a one or two person household.
Mike Certo · NMLS #260555 · Cornerstone First Mortgage NMLS #173855 · Equal Housing Lender. Educational content about financing, not a loan commitment and not legal or tax advice. IHDA program terms, income limits and purchase price limits are set by the Illinois Housing Development Authority and change; figures here carry the date we verified them and IHDA's own disclaimer applies, that funding and availability are subject to change and are not guaranteed until a complete reservation is placed. Loans are subject to borrower and property qualification.