Dixie County Housing Program: Hometown Heroes and Local Down Payment Help
Up to $35,000 from the Florida Hometown Heroes Housing Program, plus Dixie County's own county assistance. Income limit here: $148,050.
Hometown Heroes › County Housing Programs › Dixie County
Dixie County home buyers who serve their community, from nurses in Cross City to deputies and teachers across the county, can look at two kinds of help: the state's Hometown Heroes program and the county's own down payment assistance.
Dixie County's income limit of $148,050 is shared with 30 other counties; 36 counties have a higher limit. On an FHA loan at Dixie County's FHA maximum of $541,287, the 5% formula works out to $27,064 of assistance.
Income limit (FHA / VA / HFA)
$148,050
Income limit (USDA)
$119,850
Max loan, FHA
$541,287
Max loan, HFA / VA
$832,750
Hometown Heroes help
5% of first mortgage, $10,000 to $35,000
County seat
Cross City
Income limits: TBA funding option, effective May 6, 2026. Loan limits effective Jan 2, 2026. Source: Florida Housing Finance Corporation Hometown Heroes lender guide. Bond-funded limits may differ.
Same $148,050 limit: Bradford County, Calhoun County, Charlotte County, Citrus County and 26 more.
Two sources of down payment help in Dixie County
Florida Hometown Heroes (state)
Statewide and run by Florida Housing Finance Corporation. You borrow 5% of the first mortgage at 0% interest, make no payments, and repay the whole balance later, when you sell or refinance. It is never forgiven, and money is reserved first come, first served. Read the full Hometown Heroes guide.
Dixie County local assistance (SHIP-funded)
Dixie County receives state SHIP money every year and decides locally how to spend it. Down payment and closing cost help is an approved use. Amounts, income caps and whether the help is forgivable are set in the county's Local Housing Assistance Plan, so they differ from Hometown Heroes.
Dixie County government website · Florida Housing SHIP local contacts
Whether the two can be combined depends on both programs' rules at the time you apply. A participating lender confirms before funds are reserved.
Hometown Heroes jobs in Dixie County
You need a full-time job with a Florida-based employer in one of the program's eligible fields. Typical Dixie County employers whose staff can qualify include the county school district, the Sheriff's Office, local hospitals and clinics, fire rescue and courts.
We have dedicated mortgage guides for many of these jobs:
- Healthcare: mortgage options for physicians and doctors
- Healthcare: mortgage options for nurses and medical professionals
- Public safety: mortgage options for corrections officers
- Public safety: mortgage options for police officers
- First responders: mortgage options for firefighters
- First responders: mortgage options for EMTs and paramedics
- Education: mortgage options for teachers and school staff
- Military: mortgage options for active-duty military and veterans
Homes that qualify in Dixie County
There is no neighborhood restriction inside Dixie County: Cross City, Horseshoe Beach, Old Town, Suwannee and unincorporated areas all qualify. It has to be your primary residence, and manufactured homes must be 1994 or newer.
Some Dixie County addresses are USDA-eligible. There, a zero-down USDA loan plus Hometown Heroes can cover most of the cash needed at closing, with a $119,850 USDA income limit.
Check property records and taxes with the Dixie County Property Appraiser.
Dixie County housing news
- Fishing tournament raises money for Dixie County first responders (WCJB | TV20, Sep 26, 2026)
- Kat Cammack announces major federal funding for several Big Bend area infrastructure projects (Florida Politics, Sep 20, 2026)
Updated Oct 6, 2026.
Dixie County Hometown Heroes questions
How much can I earn and still qualify for Hometown Heroes in Dixie County?
For FHA, VA and conventional HFA loans, the 2026 Hometown Heroes income limit in Dixie County is $148,050 (TBA funding, effective May 6, 2026). For USDA loans it is $119,850. Under the TBA option, only the income of borrowers on the loan is counted, not the whole household.
Is Hometown Heroes in Dixie County a grant?
It is not a grant. Hometown Heroes is a 0% interest, deferred second mortgage with no monthly payment. It is repaid in full on sale, transfer of deed, satisfaction of first mortgage, refinance of first mortgage, or if the home stops being your primary residence. Local programs funded through Dixie County's SHIP allocation can be structured differently, which is why it pays to compare both.
Is there a Dixie County housing program separate from Hometown Heroes?
Yes. Every Florida county, including Dixie County, receives state SHIP (State Housing Initiatives Partnership) funds, a minimum of $350,000 a year, and can use them for down payment and closing cost help. Dixie County sets its own income caps, amounts and repayment terms in its Local Housing Assistance Plan, and funding windows vary.
How much Hometown Heroes help can I get buying in Cross City or elsewhere in Dixie County?
Assistance is 5% of your first mortgage amount, with a minimum of $10,000 and a maximum of $35,000. On an FHA loan at Dixie County's FHA maximum of $541,287, the 5% formula works out to $27,064 of assistance.
How do I start a Hometown Heroes application in Dixie County?
Hometown Heroes is reserved through Florida Housing–approved participating lenders, first come, first served. Stairway Mortgage (Jim Blackburn, NMLS #1072866) can review your occupation, income against the Dixie County limit, and whether Dixie County's local program fits alongside it.
Jim Blackburn, NMLS #1072866 · Stairway Mortgage. Program terms, limits and funding availability are set by Florida Housing Finance Corporation and Dixie County and can change. Estimates are not a commitment to lend. Equal Housing Opportunity.