Polk County Housing Program: Hometown Heroes and Local Down Payment Help
Up to $35,000 from the Florida Hometown Heroes Housing Program, plus Polk County's own county assistance. Income limit here: $148,050.
Hometown Heroes › County Housing Programs › Polk County
Buying your first home in Polk County? If you hold an eligible job, the Florida Hometown Heroes Housing Program can cover part of your down payment and closing costs, and Polk County runs its own local program alongside it.
Polk County's income limit of $148,050 is shared with 30 other counties; 36 counties have a higher limit. On an FHA loan at Polk 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
Bartow
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.
Hometown Heroes vs. the Polk County housing program
Florida Hometown Heroes (state)
A 0% interest deferred second mortgage worth 5% of your first mortgage, with no monthly payment. It is not forgiven: you repay it when you sell, refinance, pay off the first mortgage or move out. Funding is first come, first served through approved lenders. Read the full Hometown Heroes guide.
Polk County local assistance (SHIP-funded)
Polk 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.
Polk County government website · Florida Housing SHIP local contacts
Some buyers use both; others qualify for only one. The lender checks layering rules before anything is reserved.
Eligible jobs for Polk County buyers
You need a full-time job with a Florida-based employer in one of the program's eligible fields. Typical Polk 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
Polk County is home to Avon Park Air Force Range. Active-duty service members, Reserves, Coast Guard and Florida National Guard members are eligible.
Homes that qualify in Polk County
Hometown Heroes applies county-wide, from Bartow to Alturas, Auburndale, Babson Park, Bradley, Davenport, Dundee. The home must be your primary residence: single-family, townhome, eligible condo, or a 2 to 4 unit property where you live in one unit.
Parts of Polk County fall inside USDA-eligible areas, so a USDA first mortgage (zero down) can be paired with Hometown Heroes for qualifying addresses. The USDA income limit here is $119,850.
Check property records and taxes with the Polk County Property Appraiser.
Polk County housing news
- Potential buyer explores building apartments on Davenport KOA site (GrowthSpotter, Sep 30, 2026)
- South Florida developer wants to build apartments on Davenport KOA site (GrowthSpotter, Sep 30, 2026)
- Spectrum Launches High-Speed Internet to More Than 10,000 Homes and Small Businesses in Polk County, Florida (Charter Communications, Sep 28, 2026)
- State, Polk County move to protect nearly 1,000 acres of farmland (ABC7 WWSB, Sep 23, 2026)
Updated Oct 6, 2026.
Polk County Hometown Heroes questions
What is the Hometown Heroes income limit in Polk County?
For FHA, VA and conventional HFA loans, the 2026 Hometown Heroes income limit in Polk 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.
Do I have to pay back Hometown Heroes assistance in Polk County?
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 Polk County's SHIP allocation can be structured differently, which is why it pays to compare both.
Does Polk County have its own down payment assistance program?
Yes. Every Florida county, including Polk 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. Polk County sets its own income caps, amounts and repayment terms in its Local Housing Assistance Plan, and funding windows vary.
Does Hometown Heroes cover service members stationed in Polk County?
Yes. Active-duty U.S. military, Reserves, Coast Guard and Florida National Guard members are eligible occupations, including personnel at Avon Park Air Force Range. Under the TBA option, active-duty members with a current LES are exempt from the first-time buyer requirement, and veterans discharged other than dishonorably (DD214) are exempt too.
What is the maximum Hometown Heroes assistance in Polk 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 Polk County's FHA maximum of $541,287, the 5% formula works out to $27,064 of assistance.
Who can help me apply for Hometown Heroes in Polk 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 Polk County limit, and whether Polk 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 Polk County and can change. Estimates are not a commitment to lend. Equal Housing Opportunity.