Down payment assistance in Lake and Porter counties
Program and regulatory figures verified October 5, 2026. Details change; confirm your scenario with us.
Northwest Indiana gets better limits than most of the state and an extra programme on top. The one thing that changes between Lake and Porter is the thing that matters most to a repeat buyer.
The limits
Lake and Porter share a tier above Indiana's base, reflecting the Chicago-adjacent market.
| Lake | Porter | |
|---|---|---|
| Income, 1–2 person | $100,900 | $100,900 |
| Income, 3+ person | $116,035 | $116,035 |
| Acquisition | $566,355 | $566,355 |
| Targeted tracts | Yes | No |
| Targeted income | $121,080 / $141,260 | — |
| Targeted acquisition | $692,211 | — |
| Conventional income | $141,260 | $141,260 |
That base figure is $5,600 above the $95,300 most Indiana counties use, and the conventional limit of $141,260 is $40,360 above the local FHA base. All 92 counties.
★ The difference that matters
Lake County carries targeted census tracts. Porter County does not.
The income numbers are identical, so it is easy to treat the two counties as interchangeable. They are not, for one specific buyer: someone who has owned a home in the last three years. In a Lake County targeted tract the first-time homebuyer requirement is waived and First Step's 5% is available. Nowhere in Porter County does that waiver exist.
A repeat buyer in Porter has two routes instead: verifiable military status, which waives the requirement anywhere, or Next Home, which never had the requirement. The comparison · How targeted status works.
Both counties have a second operator
Lake, Porter and LaPorte are all in the Fort Wayne Housing Authority's 25-county Hoosier Homes footprint, which gives northwest Indiana buyers a route at a 640 minimum credit score rather than IHCDA's 660.
LaPorte sits at the lower $95,300 / $109,595 base tier with a $133,420 conventional limit, so moving east across the county line costs you limit headroom while keeping the Hoosier Homes option. Hoosier Homes.
Buying here while working in Illinois
A common northwest Indiana pattern, and it changes nothing about eligibility. IHCDA's tests are about where the property is and who signs the note, not where the income is earned. An Illinois commuter buying in Crown Point or Valparaiso is measured against the Lake or Porter limits like anyone else.
What does matter is that IHCDA counts 1003 applicants only. In a two-earner household where only one spouse is on the loan, only that spouse's income is measured — which in this market can be the difference between clearing $100,900 and not. How income is counted.
Property notes
Condominiums are a larger share of the market here than in most of Indiana, particularly near the lakefront. They must be warrantable and approved by U.S. Bank, FHA/HUD, Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac, and the STEPS matrix notes that LTV varies by approval. Confirm the project's status before you write the offer.
Further south in both counties the one parcel, one acre rule becomes live on larger lots. The property rules.
Frequently asked questions
What is the income limit for down payment assistance in Lake County Indiana?
$100,900 for a one to two person household and $116,035 for three or more on the FHA table, rising to $121,080 and $141,260 inside a targeted census tract. The conventional table allows $141,260 with no acquisition limit, effective 5/25/2026.Do Lake and Porter counties have the same down payment assistance rules?
The income and acquisition limits are identical, but Lake County contains targeted census tracts and Porter County does not. In a Lake County targeted tract the limits rise and the first-time homebuyer requirement is waived, which is not available anywhere in Porter County.Is Hoosier Homes available in northwest Indiana?
Yes. Lake, Porter and LaPorte counties are all within the Fort Wayne Housing Authority's 25-county Hoosier Homes footprint, which offers up to 5% assistance at a 640 minimum credit score against IHCDA's published 660.Can I use Indiana down payment assistance if I work in Illinois?
Yes. IHCDA's eligibility tests concern where the property is located and who signs the note, not where income is earned. The property must be your principal residence and must meet the county limits where it sits.Mike Certo · NMLS #260555 · Cornerstone First Mortgage NMLS #173855 · Equal Housing Lender. Educational content about financing, not a loan commitment and not legal or tax advice. IHCDA program terms, income limits and acquisition limits are set by the Indiana Housing and Community Development Authority and change; figures here carry the date we verified them against IHCDA's published documents. IHCDA down payment assistance is a non-forgivable second mortgage repayable in full, not a grant. Federal recapture tax may apply on bond-funded loans; consult a tax advisor. Loans are subject to borrower and property qualification.