Rates, caps and local money, checked monthly · An independent consumer guide · Not a lender, not the state
Ohio Heroes · Montgomery County
Buying your first home in Montgomery County, Ohio
Montgomery County, centered on Dayton, has about 540,000 residents and shares its income limits with neighboring Greene County.
Daytoncounty seat
539,598residents
$118,450income cap, 3+ people
$566,355price cap
What buyers in Montgomery County should know
Dayton Public Schools, Kettering City Schools and Huber Heights City Schools employ many of the county's eligible teachers, counselors and administrators. New hires with a degree from the last 18 months may also want to compare OHFA's Grants for Grads, where assistance is forgiven after five years if you stay in Ohio.
Beyond Dayton, buyers commonly look in Kettering, Huber Heights, Centerville and Trotwood. The $103,000 limit for 1 to 2 people and $118,450 for 3 or more apply in each.
Officers with the Dayton Police Department and crews with the Dayton Fire Department are covered, as are veterans, reservists and surviving spouses, who are exempt from the first-time buyer rule if honorably discharged.
The Montgomery County caps
Income cap, 1–2 people
Income cap, 3 or more
Price cap
$103,000
$118,450
$566,355
Montgomery County's non-target limits are $103,000 (1 to 2 people) and $118,450 (3 or more), with a $566,355 single-family price cap. Compare the statewide table, or work out a price you can carry.
Local money in Montgomery County
These programs are run by a city, the county or a nonprofit. Some can sit on top of the state loan and some replace it. Each has its own rules, so ask the loan officer which ones combine.
$105,000 existing home / $195,000 new construction
Fine print
$500 of buyer's own funds; must live in the home 5+ years; homebuyer class and meeting with a HomeOwnership Center advisor
Listed on the City's Resources page (undated). The HomeOwnership Center's own DPA page now lists only the Northwest/West Dayton program, so confirm this citywide program still has funds.
Northwestern and western neighborhoods, City of Dayton
For
First-time buyers purchasing a Welcome Home Ohio or Northwest Pathways home in the mapped area
Amount
Up to $7,000
Form
Deferred loan, no monthly bill
Income cap
No income limit for the DPA itself (the housing programs have their own limits)
Price cap
None
First-timers only
Yes
Fine print
$500 of buyer's own funds (FHA 3.5%); housing ratio no more than 31% and total debt no more than 42%; advisor appointment plus homebuyer class ($30 live / $49 online); 0% deferred loan due in full on sale, refinance or move-out
Guidelines PDF dated 1.2026: https://homeownershipdayton.speedstorecdn.com/2026/02/CityWide-DPA-new-builds-1.2026.pdf
Page says 'CURRENTLY OUT OF FUNDING' (it also mentions expecting funding in 2022, so the page is stale). Kettering has its own program, but the only guidelines linked are from 2015.
Plan on a homebuyer class. Nearly every assistance program makes you take one before closing. These HUD-approved agencies near Montgomery County teach the class or offer one-on-one counseling before you buy:
Agency
City
Miles
Services
Languages
How it is taught
Miami Valley Community Action Partnership
Dayton
5 mi
Pre-buy advice
English
In person / By phone / Online
County Corp
Dayton
5 mi
Pre-buy advice
English
By phone / Online
Horizon Housing Communities Development for Ohio (Hhcdo)
Dayton
6 mi
Buyer class / Pre-buy advice
English / Spanish
In person / By phone / Online
From HUD's list of approved housing counseling agencies. A class one program accepts may not count for another.
Which class counts? Ask the loan officer before you sign up. Lenders who handle Ohio programs know which course is required, and they can get your pre-approval moving while you study. Start the eligibility check
Local employers whose staff may fit
Dayton Public Schools
Kettering City Schools
Huber Heights City Schools
Dayton Police Department
Dayton Fire Department
Montgomery County Sheriff's Office
Montgomery County Sheriff's Office deputies, Dayton-area nurses and school staff fall under OHFA's listed occupations. The full job list
Questions from Montgomery County readers
I'm a veteran who already owns a home in Kettering. Can I use Ohio Heroes?
Possibly. Honorably discharged veterans are exempt from OHFA's first-time buyer rule. Income, price and credit rules still apply.
Do Montgomery and Greene have the same limits?
Yes. Both use $103,000 for 1 to 2 people and $118,450 for 3 or more in non-target areas.
Does homebuyer education cost anything?
OHFA's streamlined online course is free. You complete it after your loan application and before commitment approval.
