WHEDA Income Limits for 2026: Which Wisconsin Limit Applies to You

The short version: WHEDA doesn’t have one income limit. For loans registered on or after June 13, 2026 it has three sets, and the first mortgage you choose decides which one applies to you: the standard WHEDA Advantage limit, a lower limit for First-Time Home Buyer or VALOR pricing and the MCC, and a separate, lower table for the Capital Access loan. Every adult who will live in the home counts toward the total, whether or not they’re on the loan.

That matters because the WHEDA figures you may see quoted, roughly $53,800 for one person up to $101,400 for eight, come from the Capital Access table. That’s the lowest set WHEDA publishes, and it only governs a $7,500 down payment loan. In Milwaukee County, the standard WHEDA Advantage limit is $124,660 for one or two people and $146,340 for three or more.

This page covers WHEDA’s home purchase loans. WHEDA’s “Average Income Limits” are for rental housing built with tax credits, a different program.

WHEDA income limits for 2026 by county

WHEDA’s current limits document is labeled “Current limits – Effective 06/13/2026” on its lender toolkit. Income limits come in two household sizes, 1–2 people and 3 or more.

The standard column applies to WHEDA Advantage Conventional and FHA loans and to Easy Close. The First-Time Home Buyer column also covers VALOR pricing and the MCC. In the 15 counties marked “Whole county”, every address is in a target area, so the figures shown there are WHEDA’s higher target-area limits. “Some areas” means only part of the county is targeted (see the next table).

Inside these cities and areas, First-Time Home Buyer, MCC and VALOR limits are higher. Augusta, Clear Lake and La Farge are targeted as whole municipalities; everywhere else only specific census tracts qualify, so check the address (see target areas below).

Purchase price caps apply only to First-Time Home Buyer, MCC and VALOR loans, and they're statewide: $566,364 for one unit and $725,146 for two to four units, rising to $692,222 and $886,290 in a target area, all "Effective June 13, 2026". Standard WHEDA Advantage loans have no WHEDA price cap. They follow the loan limits instead: a conventional loan limit of $832,750 ("Effective December 15, 2025") and FHA limits by county ("Effective January 1, 2026").

Which limit applies to you

The first mortgage picks the column. WHEDA's two first mortgages, WHEDA Advantage Conventional and WHEDA Advantage FHA, both carry the line "Do not have to be a first-time home buyer to utilize this program" and both "Must be under Total Household Compliance Income limit". That's the standard "Conventional & FHA" column.

The lower column belongs to three options that only some buyers use: First-Time Home Buyer pricing and VALOR pricing, which are reduced-rate versions of WHEDA Advantage Conventional (WHEDA's FHA program doesn't offer them), and the Mortgage Credit Certificate (MCC), which WHEDA also calls Tax Advantage. Down payment help mostly follows the first mortgage. WHEDA's limits document says Easy Close is "DETERMINED BY THE FIRST MORTGAGE PROGRAM", while Capital Access says "USE CAPITAL ACCESS INCOME AND PURCHASE PRICE LIMITS FOR 1ST AND DPA".

Two combination rules are worth knowing before you pick. WHEDA says borrowers on First-Time Home Buyer or VALOR pricing "are not eligible to receive both the benefit of the preferred interest rate and the Mortgage Credit Certificate (MCC) program", so it's one or the other. And "Both WHEDA Down Payment Assistance programs can be used with either WHEDA first mortgage program."

The 80% AMI column isn't an income limit

The first column on every page of WHEDA's limits document is headed "FNMA 80% AMI", and it's the easiest one to misread. It's marked "QUALIFYING INCOME ONLY! (to determine MI coverage only)". It doesn't decide whether you qualify for WHEDA. It decides which mortgage insurance a conventional loan uses.

WHEDA's first mortgage comparison sheet spells it out. With "TOTAL ANNUAL QUALIFYING INCOME ≤ 80% AMI", a conventional loan can "Use Charter Level MI above 80% LTV". Above 80% AMI, it "MUST use Standard MI above 80% LTV". For FHA, "Qualifying income is N/A". Eligibility is a separate test: "Total Household Compliance Income must also meet the WHEDA Income and Purchase Price Limits for the appropriate program."

So if your income is above the 80% AMI figure for your county, that changes your mortgage insurance tier, which can change your cost. It doesn't rule you out. The figure to compare against is in the standard or First-Time Home Buyer column.

Whose income counts: every adult who will live there

WHEDA's limits are compliance limits, and they count the whole household. Its eligibility matrices define Household Compliance Income as "Anticipated income from all Household Occupants, age 18 or older", and Household Occupants as "All individuals who intend to occupy property as their primary residence, regardless of their relationship to the borrower or whether they are an applicant for the loan or not." The FHA matrix uses the same definition.

Some states count only the borrowers on certain loans; Virginia's non-bond loans are one example. WHEDA doesn't do that on any of its programs. Two worked examples, using Milwaukee County limits for a household of three. The arithmetic is ours; the limits are WHEDA's.

Example A: household income of $135,000.

• First-Time Home Buyer, VALOR or MCC limit ($124,660): over, so none of the three is available.
• Standard WHEDA Advantage limit ($146,340): under, so a standard WHEDA Advantage loan works, and so does Easy Close, which follows that limit.
• Capital Access limit for three people ($78,050): well over.

Example B: the parents earn $110,000 and their son, who lives at home, earns $30,000.

• If he's 20: his income counts, the household is at $140,000, and they're over the First-Time Home Buyer limit, though still under the standard limit.
• If he's 17: his income isn't counted, because WHEDA counts occupants "age 18 or older". At $110,000 they're under the First-Time Home Buyer limit.

The family's options change on his eighteenth birthday. If someone in the home is about to turn 18, ask your lender how the timing of your application affects the calculation.

Your lender will document every adult's income; WHEDA requires a certification of zero income for any adult occupant who has none. Once you know which limit you fall under, our home affordability calculator shows what that income can realistically carry in a monthly payment.

Down payment help: Easy Close vs Capital Access

WHEDA has two down payment programs, and they're built very differently. For how they compare with assistance elsewhere, see our guide to down payment assistance.

Easy Close. It's a second mortgage you repay, not a grant. WHEDA's terms:

• Up to 6% of the purchase price or the appraised value, whichever is lower, "but not less than $1,000"
• A "10-year fixed rate second mortgage with monthly payment"
• An interest rate "Same as WHEDA 1st Mortgage"
• "Total Household Compliance Income limits apply based on WHEDA first mortgage"

Example C: a $300,000 purchase. Easy Close could provide up to $18,000, repaid over ten years with a monthly payment on top of the first mortgage. That's our arithmetic, assuming the home appraises at or above the price.

Capital Access. A smaller, cheaper loan with tighter limits:

• A fixed "Loan amount of $7,500"
• A "30-year fixed rate mortgage" at a "0% Interest rate*" with "No Monthly Payments"
• It "Has separate Total Household Compliance Income Limits which are generally lower"

Those Capital Access limits are set by household size from one to eight people, "Effective June 13, 2026". In Milwaukee County they run from $60,700 for one person and $78,050 for three to $114,450 for eight. In Dane County they run from $74,800 to $141,000. Capital Access also has its own purchase price limits, "Effective January 15, 2026": $541,287 for one unit and $693,050 for two or more in Milwaukee and Dane counties, for example.

Funding is limited. WHEDA announced that "the Capital Access DPA will be available again on a limited basis, starting January 15, 2026", so ask your lender whether funds are still available before you plan around it.

First-time buyers, veterans and target areas

The first-time buyer rule applies only to the reduced-pricing options. WHEDA's definition is "an individual who has not owned principal residence in the last 3 years", and "ALL borrowers and non-applicant spouses must meet definition." Standard WHEDA Advantage loans don't require it.

Veterans can skip it. VALOR pricing requires a "Qualified Veteran, defined as a military veteran who served in active duty as evidenced by Form DD-214 indicating honorable discharge", "Only one Applicant must meet this definition", and the "First-time home buyer requirement is waived."

So can buyers in a target area. WHEDA's limits document notes that "Applicants do not have to be first-time home buyers in designated target areas", and target areas get higher First-Time Home Buyer, MCC and VALOR income limits and the higher price caps above. WHEDA's target-area list ("Effective 2/13/24") has three tiers:

• Whole counties: Ashland, Barron, Bayfield, Burnett, Clark, Crawford, Iron, Jackson, Juneau, Marinette, Marquette, Oconto, Rusk, Sawyer and Trempealeau.
• Whole municipalities: Augusta (Eau Claire County), Clear Lake (Polk County) and La Farge (Vernon County).
• Specific census tracts in Green Bay, Madison, Watertown, Superior, Eau Claire, Kenosha, La Crosse, Wausau, Menominee County, Milwaukee, Grand Chute, Stevens Point, Beloit/Janesville, Racine, Sheboygan and Oshkosh.

If you're in one of the cities on that last list, being in the city isn't enough. Check your address against WHEDA's target area list, or ask your lender to look up the census tract.

Example D: the same $135,000 household from Example A, buying in a Milwaukee target tract, would be under the target-area First-Time Home Buyer limit of $151,760 for three or more people, with no first-time buyer requirement.

One trade-off comes with the reduced pricing. WHEDA says borrowers who use First-Time Home Buyer or VALOR pricing "may be subject to a federal tax upon the sale of the property. WHEDA provides a reimbursement guaranty." Its program page lists target area reduced pricing alongside them. Ask your lender to explain how that guaranty works before you choose.

Comparing states? We cover the same first-time buyer and target-area mechanics for Ohio, Michigan and Virginia. New to the process? Start with our overview of first-time buyer programs.

Frequently asked questions

What are the WHEDA income limits for 2026?

For loans registered on or after June 13, 2026, it depends on the program and the county. The standard WHEDA Advantage limit in Milwaukee County is $124,660 for one or two people and $146,340 for three or more; in Dane County it's $155,595 and $182,655. First-Time Home Buyer, VALOR and MCC limits are lower, and Capital Access has its own, lower table.

Why do some sources show WHEDA limits of $53,800 to $101,400?

Those figures come from WHEDA's Capital Access table, which sets limits for one to eight people for a $7,500 down payment loan. They're the lowest limits WHEDA publishes and don't apply to standard WHEDA Advantage loans.

Does my adult child's income count for a WHEDA loan?

Yes, if they're 18 or older and will live in the home. WHEDA counts income from all household occupants age 18 or older, whether or not they're on the loan. Income from a child under 18 isn't counted.

Do I have to be a first-time buyer for a WHEDA loan?

Not for standard WHEDA Advantage Conventional or FHA loans. First-Time Home Buyer pricing requires that no borrower or non-applicant spouse has owned a principal residence in the last three years, but the rule is waived for qualified veterans using VALOR and for homes in a designated target area.

Is WHEDA Easy Close a grant?

No. Easy Close is a 10-year fixed-rate second mortgage with a monthly payment, at the same interest rate as your WHEDA first mortgage. It can cover up to 6% of the lower of the purchase price or appraised value.

What does the 80% AMI column in WHEDA's limits mean?

It's not an eligibility limit. WHEDA marks it "QUALIFYING INCOME ONLY! (to determine MI coverage only)". It decides which mortgage insurance tier a conventional loan uses. Whether you qualify depends on the standard or First-Time Home Buyer limit for your county.

Is my address in a WHEDA target area?

Fifteen whole counties are target areas, along with Augusta, Clear Lake and La Farge. In 16 other areas, including parts of Milwaukee, Madison and Green Bay, only specific census tracts qualify, so check your address against WHEDA's target area list or ask your lender.

Sources and effective dates

County income limits, purchase price limits and loan limits are from WHEDA's current limits document, labeled "Current limits - Effective 06/13/2026" on its lender toolkit and read on 23 October 2026. Income and First-Time Home Buyer price limits are "Effective June 13, 2026"; the conventional loan limit is "Effective December 15, 2025"; FHA loan limits are "Effective January 1, 2026". Capital Access limits are from WHEDA's Capital Access limits document (income effective June 13, 2026; price effective January 15, 2026). Household income rules, first-time buyer and VALOR definitions and recapture terms are from WHEDA's Advantage Conventional eligibility matrix (dated September 17, 2026) and its FHA eligibility matrix (December 2, 2025). The 80% AMI and mortgage insurance rules are from WHEDA's first mortgage product comparison. Easy Close and Capital Access terms are from WHEDA's available programs page and Easy Close eligibility matrix. Target areas are from WHEDA's target area list, effective February 13, 2024.

WHEDA revises its limits about twice a year and replaces the current file at the same address, so the document can change without a new link. Check WHEDA's toolkit before relying on any figure here, and treat every number as accurate on the date given. We re-check this page each time WHEDA updates its limits.

Disclaimer: The Housing Signal is an independent educational publisher. We are not a mortgage broker, lender, or licensed financial advisor, and nothing here is personalized financial or tax advice. Programme terms, income limits, fees and eligibility rules change frequently, and the figures above may not reflect your own circumstances or the most recent WHEDA revision. Figures cited are accurate as of the dates given and will change. Consult a licensed professional before making a decision.