Ask around about down payment help in Arizona and you will usually hear one name, HOME Plus, and then the conversation stops. That leaves out the rest of the stack: a second statewide forgivable program, county and city HOME funds that can add real dollars in certain areas, and the income and credit rules that quietly decide which of these an Arizona buyer can actually use. This guide ranks the main programs by maximum assistance, then walks through who qualifies, how the money is structured, and what disqualifies buyers. A note on the numbers: program caps, income limits, and funding change, sometimes more than once a year. Everything below is approximate for 2026 and drawn from the sources at the end. Confirm current figures with the Arizona Department of Housing or an approved lender before you count on any of it.
Ranked by maximum assistance
Here is the short version, largest practical assistance first, before we get into the eligibility fine print. Because most Arizona programs are percentage-based, the dollar figure depends on your loan size, so these are ranked on the aid formula and reach. 
Figures are approximate for 2026 and shift with program funding. Verify current caps before applying.
1. HOME Plus: up to 5% statewide
HOME Plus, run through the Arizona Industrial Development Authority, is the workhorse statewide program and the one most buyers hear about first. It pairs a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage with down payment and closing-cost assistance of up to 4% of the loan amount, with an extra 1% available to active-duty military and veterans, for up to 5% total. The assistance is structured as a non-repayable grant that forgives over three years, so a buyer who stays in the home is not paying it back. HOME Plus is available in every Arizona county, city, and ZIP code, which is part of why it dominates the conversation. In 2026 the borrower income cap sat around $155,386, though the ceiling is lower, near $146,503, when paired with certain FHA, VA, USDA, or conventional financing, and the credit-score floor is 620 across the DPA options. One borrower must complete a homebuyer education course before closing.
2. Arizona Is Home: 4% forgivable in most counties
Arizona Is Home is a newer statewide program that pairs a below-market 30-year fixed-rate mortgage with 4% down payment assistance structured as a forgivable second mortgage, forgiven after five years in the home. It carries no first-time-buyer requirement, and its income ceiling in 2026 sat around $155,386. The notable limit is geographic: Arizona Is Home is available in all Arizona counties except Maricopa and Pima, the two most populous, so a Phoenix-metro or Tucson buyer generally looks to HOME Plus or a local program instead. For buyers in the rest of the state, the five-year forgiveness is attractive because the balance disappears entirely if you stay.
3. Pima County and City of Tucson HOME: a larger local flat amount
In southern Arizona, Pima County and the City of Tucson run down payment assistance funded through the federal HOME program, and for eligible buyers the flat dollar amount, often up to roughly $20,000, can exceed a percentage-based statewide grant on a moderately priced home. These local funds come with their own income limits, purchase-price caps, and occupancy requirements, and availability depends on whether the fund has money left in a given cycle. They are worth a direct call to the county or city housing office rather than an assumption, and in some cases can be layered with a statewide program.
4. City and county programs: smaller, local, worth checking
Below the state and large-county level, individual cities and towns run their own down payment or closing-cost assistance, usually funded through federal HOME or CDBG dollars and usually smaller than the statewide options. Amounts, income rules, and availability vary a lot by municipality and by whether the fund is open in a given year, so these reward a direct inquiry to the local housing office. They can sometimes stack with a statewide grant, which is where a knowledgeable lender earns their keep.
Who qualifies: the eligibility rules that actually gate these programs
The maximum-aid ranking only matters if you clear the eligibility screens, and those are where most buyers get sorted. The common threads across the Arizona programs in 2026:
- Credit score. A 620 minimum is the general floor for HOME Plus and most DPA options. Some loan types or lenders set it higher.
- Income limits. The statewide programs capped borrower income near $155,386 in 2026, with a lower ceiling around $146,503 for certain loan pairings. Local HOME programs set their own, often tighter, limits.
- Homebuyer education. At least one borrower must complete an approved homebuyer education course before closing.
- Occupancy. These programs are for owner-occupied primary residences, not investment or vacation homes.
- Loan qualification. The assistance does not change whether you qualify for the underlying mortgage; your debt-to-income ratio still has to work.
Note that HOME Plus and Arizona Is Home do not require first-time-buyer status, while many local HOME programs do. Read each program’s rule rather than assuming.
What disqualifies buyers, and what to do first
The usual disqualifiers are exceeding the program income limit, a credit score under the floor, buying a non-owner-occupied property, or, for local HOME funds, exceeding a purchase-price cap or missing a first-time-buyer requirement. Running out of program funding mid-year is a practical one too, since these budgets are finite. The practical first step is the homebuyer education course and a conversation with an approved lender who can run your income and credit against the current limits and tell you which program you land in. That is the fastest way to find out what you qualify for before you fall for a specific house.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much down payment assistance can an Arizona first-time buyer get in 2026?
The largest statewide option is HOME Plus, offering up to 4% of the loan in assistance, or up to 5% for active-duty military and veterans, as a grant that forgives over three years. Arizona Is Home offers 4% as a forgivable second in most counties outside Maricopa and Pima. In southern Arizona, Pima County and Tucson HOME funds can reach roughly $20,000 as a flat amount. All figures are approximate for 2026 and change with funding.
Do you have to pay back Arizona down payment assistance?
Often not, if you stay in the home. HOME Plus assistance is a non-repayable grant that forgives over three years, and Arizona Is Home is a forgivable second mortgage that clears after five years. Local HOME programs vary: some are deferred loans due on sale or refinance, others forgive over time. Check each program’s repayment or forgiveness terms before you commit, since they differ.
What credit score do you need for Arizona down payment assistance?
The general floor is a 620 credit score for HOME Plus and most Arizona DPA options, though some loan types or lenders require higher. Buyers below that threshold may need to raise their score before qualifying. Confirm the current minimum with an approved lender, since program overlays can move the bar.
Can you use Arizona down payment assistance anywhere in the state?
It depends on the program. HOME Plus is available in every Arizona county, city, and ZIP code. Arizona Is Home covers all counties except Maricopa and Pima. Local HOME programs apply only within their county or city and add their own income and price caps. Match the program to where you are buying, and remember that all of these are for owner-occupied primary residences.
Where can I check what my Arizona budget qualifies for?
Start with the Arizona Department of Housing program pages and an approved lender, who can match your income and credit to the current limits. To sanity-check budgets and neighborhood pricing while you shop, a free automated valuation like Homie’s home value report is a quick reference, though a lender’s pre-approval is what actually sets your ceiling.
That’s the lay of the land on Arizona down payment help. If you’re buying your first Arizona home and want a brokerage that will walk the assistance math with you before you write an offer, homie.com/buy is a good place to start. We’re a licensed real estate brokerage, not a lender, so confirm program caps and eligibility with the Arizona Department of Housing or an approved lender, since these figures move around.
— The Homie Team
- Home Plus Arizona, program overview and income limits
- Home Plus Arizona, DPA details
- The Mortgage Reports, Arizona first-time home buyer programs
- Mortgage Research Center, down payment assistance in Arizona
- Community research: r/azrealestate and r/phoenix first-time-buyer threads
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