Rates, caps and local money, checked monthly · An independent consumer guide · Not a lender, not the state
Ohio Heroes · Summit County
Buying your first home in Summit County, Ohio
Summit County, with Akron as its seat and roughly 538,000 residents, uses OHFA's base-level income limits.
Akroncounty seat
538,376residents
$113,620income cap, 3+ people
$566,355price cap
What buyers in Summit County should know
At $98,800 for 1 to 2 people and $113,620 for 3 or more, Summit sits at the low end of OHFA's non-target range. Before you rule yourself out, ask your lender whether the address is in a target area, where limits are about 20% higher.
Akron Public Schools, Cuyahoga Falls City Schools and Stow-Munroe Falls City Schools staff qualify by role, as do officers with the Akron Police Department and firefighters with the Akron Fire Department. Buyers here often compare Akron, Cuyahoga Falls, Stow, Barberton and Hudson.
If a two-family home appeals to you, OHFA finances duplexes and properties up to four units when you live in one of them, with higher price limits than a single-family home.
The Summit County caps
Income cap, 1–2 people
Income cap, 3 or more
Price cap
$98,800
$113,620
$566,355
Summit County uses OHFA's base non-target limits of $98,800 and $113,620 and the standard $566,355 single-family price cap. Compare the statewide table, or work out a price you can carry.
Local money in Summit 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.
Buyers who have not owned property in the past 3 years; no bankruptcy or foreclosure in the last 2 years
Amount
$7,500 (reduced if liquid assets after purchase exceed $15,000, per news report)
Form
Forgivable loan
Income cap
$54,400 (1 person) to $77,701 (family of 4) to $102,600 (8 people)
Price cap
$219,000 existing / $296,000 new construction (per Signal Akron; not on EANDC page)
First-timers only
Yes
Fine print
Home inside Akron city limits, owner-occupied; HUD-approved homebuyer education within 2 years; 1% buyer contribution and 30-year mortgage (per Signal Akron)
HUD HOME-funded; $300,000 budget (about 33-35 buyers); launched Aug 25, 2026; first-come first-served. Forgiven after 5 years (20%/year, per Signal Akron July 2026).
Plan on a homebuyer class. Nearly every assistance program makes you take one before closing. These HUD-approved agencies near Summit County teach the class or offer one-on-one counseling before you buy:
Agency
City
Miles
Services
Languages
How it is taught
Fair Housing Contact Service
Akron
4 mi
Pre-buy advice
English
By phone
Mustard Seed Development Center
Akron
5 mi
Buyer class / Pre-buy advice
Arabic / Chinese / English / French / Hindi / Korean / Portuguese / Russian / Spanish / Vietnamese
In person / By phone / Online
East Akron Neighborhood Development Corp.
Akron
5 mi
Buyer class / Pre-buy advice
English
In person / By phone
Breaking Chains Inc
Beachwood
23 mi
Pre-buy advice
English
By phone
Community Building Partnership of Stark County, Inc.
Canton
24 mi
Buyer class / Pre-buy advice
English
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
Akron Public Schools
Cuyahoga Falls City Schools
Stow-Munroe Falls City Schools
Akron Police Department
Akron Fire Department
Summit County Sheriff's Office
Summit County Sheriff's Office deputies and Hudson or Stow school staff are covered by the same OHFA list as Akron city workers. The full job list
Questions from Summit County readers
Why is Summit County's limit lower than Cleveland's?
OHFA sets limits by county. Summit uses $98,800 for 1 to 2 people, while Cuyahoga is $105,000.
Can I live in Stow and work for Akron Fire?
Yes. Where you work doesn't change the limits. The limits follow the county where the home is.
What credit score do I need for an FHA loan?
OHFA requires 650 or higher for FHA. Conventional, VA and USDA require 640.
