Downstate Illinois Changes Which Program Pays Most
Program and regulatory figures verified September 25, 2026. Details change; confirm your scenario with us.
Outside the Chicago area the program arithmetic genuinely changes, because percentage caps bind differently when homes cost $120,000 rather than $360,000.
The downstate ladders
| County group | General | AccessHome 1-2 | AccessHome 3+ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Menard, Sangamon | $160,860 | $114,900 | $132,135 |
| Calhoun, Clinton, Jersey, Madison, Monroe, St. Clair | $158,900 | $113,500 | $130,525 |
| Grundy, McLean | $166,320 | $118,800 | $136,620 |
| All other counties, 85 of them | $157,640 | $112,600 | $129,490 |
Per the IHDA income and purchase price limits, that last row covers most of the state geographically: Adams, Champaign, Peoria, Rock Island, Winnebago, Williamson and 79 more. Springfield's Sangamon County and the Metro East group around St. Clair and Madison sit slightly higher.
The program inversion
Here is what changes downstate. Every program pays the lesser of a percentage and a cap. When homes are inexpensive, the percentage governs rather than the cap, and the highest percentage wins.
| Purchase price | Home, 6% | Repayable, 10% | Deferred, 5% | Forgivable, 4% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $100,000 | $6,000 | $10,000 | $5,000 | $4,000 |
| $150,000 | $9,000 | $10,000 | $7,500 | $6,000 |
| $200,000 | $12,000 | $10,000 | $7,500 | $6,000 |
In Danville at $101,787, Macomb at $101,351 or Decatur at $126,812, IHDAccess Repayable pays more than the first-time-buyer program does. It carries a monthly payment, which is the trade, but it is genuinely the larger cheque.
It also has no first-time requirement and uses the general income limit rather than the tighter AccessHome one. For a downstate repeat buyer, that combination is frequently the answer. The three non-first-time programs.
The market
| Metro | Typical value, Aug 2026 | Year over year |
|---|---|---|
| Bloomington | $261,173 | +1.7% |
| Champaign | $239,660 | +5.3% |
| Rockford | $224,246 | +8.7% |
| Springfield | $200,021 | +7.9% |
| Peoria | $174,841 | +6.7% |
| Carbondale | $153,268 | +1.9% |
| Decatur | $126,812 | +5.4% |
| Danville | $101,787 | +2.5% |
Every Illinois metro rose year over year as of August 2026. The fastest movers were downstate rather than in Chicago: Galesburg at +13.6% and Pontiac at +11.3% against Chicago's +4.9%.
One thing that does not scale down
The minimum investment has a floor. At or below a $100,000 purchase price, the $1,000 floor governs rather than 1%. So a Danville buyer at roughly $101,787 is contributing close to the floor rather than a percentage of a large number, which is one of the few places the rules work in a downstate buyer's favour. How the minimum works.
See also all four programs, the income ladders and talk to our team.
Frequently asked questions
What is the IHDA income limit in downstate Illinois?
$157,640 for the general programs across 85 of Illinois' counties, effective 7-1-2026, with IHDAccess Home at $112,600 for one or two people and $129,490 for three or more. Menard and Sangamon counties are slightly higher at $160,860, the Metro East group around Madison and St. Clair is $158,900, and Grundy and McLean are $166,320.
Which IHDA program is best for a lower-priced downstate home?
IHDAccess Repayable often pays the most, because its 10% rate governs below a $100,000 purchase price and it has no first-time buyer requirement. On a $100,000 home it pays $10,000 against $6,000 from the 6% IHDAccess Home program. The trade is that it requires monthly repayment over 10 years, at zero interest.
Do downstate Illinois buyers face the same purchase price limit?
Yes. The IHDA purchase price cap is $666,354 for a non-targeted one-unit home in every Illinois county, including all 85 counties in the general downstate group. With typical values running from about $101,351 in Macomb to $261,173 in Bloomington, the cap is far from binding anywhere downstate.
Are downstate Illinois home values rising?
Yes, every Illinois metro rose year over year as of August 2026. The fastest were downstate: Galesburg at +13.6% and Pontiac at +11.3%, against Chicago at +4.9%. Rockford rose 8.7%, Springfield 7.9% and Peoria 6.7%. The slowest was Bloomington at +1.7%.
Does the minimum investment get smaller on a cheaper house?
Down to a floor. IHDA requires the greater of 1% of the purchase price or $1,000, so above a $100,000 purchase the 1% figure governs and below it the $1,000 floor does. A buyer at $101,787 in Danville contributes close to the $1,000 floor, while a buyer at $250,000 contributes $2,500.
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.