Madison County Housing Program 2026: Down Payment Help for Local Heroes
Up to $35,000 from the Florida Hometown Heroes Housing Program, plus Madison County's own county assistance. Income limit here: $148,050.
Hometown Heroes › County Housing Programs › Madison County
If you work in healthcare, education, public safety or the military and want to buy in Madison County, two separate pots of down payment help can apply to you: the statewide Florida Hometown Heroes Housing Program and Madison County's own locally run housing assistance.
Madison County's income limit of $148,050 is shared with 30 other counties; 36 counties have a higher limit. On an FHA loan at Madison 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
Madison
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 Madison 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.
Madison County local assistance (SHIP-funded)
Madison 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.
Madison 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 Madison County
You need a full-time job with a Florida-based employer in one of the program's eligible fields. Typical Madison 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 Madison County
Any part of Madison County works, including Madison, Greenville, Lee, Pinetta, 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 Madison 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 Madison County Property Appraiser.
Madison County housing news
- Madison County real estate: 10 most expensive homes sold September 2026 (Syracuse.com, Oct 6, 2026)
- Florida House District 9 candidates debate jobs, housing (Tallahassee Democrat, Sep 29, 2026)
- Madison County real estate: See all residential properties sold, Sept. 14-20 (Syracuse.com, Sep 27, 2026)
- Madison County real estate: See all residential properties sold, Sept. 7-13 (Syracuse.com, Sep 20, 2026)
Updated Oct 6, 2026.
Madison County Hometown Heroes questions
How much can I earn and still qualify for Hometown Heroes in Madison County?
For FHA, VA and conventional HFA loans, the 2026 Hometown Heroes income limit in Madison 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 Madison 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 Madison County's SHIP allocation can be structured differently, which is why it pays to compare both.
Is there a Madison County housing program separate from Hometown Heroes?
Yes. Every Florida county, including Madison 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. Madison 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 Madison or elsewhere in Madison 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 Madison 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 Madison 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 Madison County limit, and whether Madison 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 Madison County and can change. Estimates are not a commitment to lend. Equal Housing Opportunity.