Down Payment Assistance in Jackson County: Hometown Heroes and the County Program
Up to $35,000 from the Florida Hometown Heroes Housing Program, plus Jackson County's own county assistance. Income limit here: $148,050.
Hometown Heroes › County Housing Programs › Jackson County
If you work in healthcare, education, public safety or the military and want to buy in Jackson County, two separate pots of down payment help can apply to you: the statewide Florida Hometown Heroes Housing Program and Jackson County's own locally run housing assistance.
Jackson County's income limit of $148,050 is shared with 30 other counties; 36 counties have a higher limit. On an FHA loan at Jackson 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
Marianna
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.
State help and county help in Jackson County: how they differ
Florida Hometown Heroes (state)
Florida Housing lends you 5% of your first mortgage (between $10,000 and $35,000) as a silent second mortgage at 0%. Nothing is due monthly, and it adds nothing to your debt-to-income ratio, but the full amount comes due on sale, refinance or payoff. Read the full Hometown Heroes guide.
Jackson County local assistance (SHIP-funded)
Jackson County's local program is funded by the state SHIP trust fund but run by the county. Its rules, including income limits, award size and repayment, come from the county's Local Housing Assistance Plan and can change when new funding years open.
Jackson County government website · Florida Housing SHIP local contacts
Stacking state and county help is sometimes possible and sometimes not. That is decided case by case before you reserve funds.
Who qualifies in Jackson County
You need a full-time job with a Florida-based employer in one of the program's eligible fields. Typical Jackson 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
Where you can use it in Jackson County
Any part of Jackson County works, including Marianna, Alford, Bascom, Campbellton, Cottondale, Cypress, Graceville, as long as you live in the home. Single-family houses, townhomes, approved condos and 2 to 4 unit buildings (you occupy one unit) are all eligible.
Some Jackson 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 Jackson County Property Appraiser.
Jackson County housing news
- Jackson County lands $3.8M federal economic development grant with Shumaker Advisors' help (Florida Politics, Oct 5, 2026)
- Housing, wildfire and mental health shape Reichenbach’s Jackson County Commission campaign (Jefferson Public Radio, Oct 2, 2026)
- Jackson’s 100 Homes Program extends down payment assistance initiative (WLNS 6 News, Oct 2, 2026)
- Jackson County Legislature is about to turn over. What candidates say on property taxes, stadiums (The Wichita Beacon, Sep 23, 2026)
Updated Oct 6, 2026.
Jackson County Hometown Heroes questions
How much can I earn and still qualify for Hometown Heroes in Jackson County?
For FHA, VA and conventional HFA loans, the 2026 Hometown Heroes income limit in Jackson 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 Jackson 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 Jackson County's SHIP allocation can be structured differently, which is why it pays to compare both.
Is there a Jackson County housing program separate from Hometown Heroes?
Yes. Every Florida county, including Jackson 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. Jackson 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 Marianna or elsewhere in Jackson 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 Jackson 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 Jackson 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 Jackson County limit, and whether Jackson 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 Jackson County and can change. Estimates are not a commitment to lend. Equal Housing Opportunity.