NCHFA Income Limits: $158,000 Statewide
North Carolina has the simplest income test of any state we lend in. One number, statewide, no county table and no household brackets. The detail that matters is whose income counts.
The short answer
The NC Home Advantage Mortgage income limit is $158,000, and it is the same in all 100 counties with no adjustment for household size. The program also caps debt-to-income at 45.0% and requires a minimum credit score of 640. These figures are from NCHFA's program guide dated July 2026.
The whole table
| Test | Limit |
|---|---|
| Income, statewide, any household size | $158,000 |
| Maximum debt-to-income ratio | 45.0% |
| Minimum credit score | 640 |
| Sales price limit | None for the product; set by your loan type |
Whose income counts, which is the real question here
Most state programs test household income, meaning everyone who will live in the home. NCHFA tests the income used to qualify for the loan. Someone who will live in the house but is not on the mortgage does not push you over the limit. That single difference decides eligibility for a lot of multi-generational households who assume they are out. A co-borrower is different: if they are on the loan, their income counts and they have to meet the limit themselves. If you are close to $158,000, the question to ask us is who needs to be on the loan, because the answer moves the test.
No sales price limit, but your loan type still has one
The program guide sets no maximum sales price for NC Home Advantage. That does not mean there is no ceiling. The ceiling comes from the loan type you use, so an FHA file is capped by the FHA limit for the county and a conventional file by the conforming limit. The practical effect is that North Carolina buyers are far less likely to be stopped by a price cap than buyers in states that publish one, and far more likely to be stopped by debt-to-income.
At this income level, 45% debt-to-income is the test that bites
A $158,000 income limit is generous, and it is well above what most NC Home Advantage buyers earn. In practice the 45.0% debt-to-income cap stops more files than the income limit does, because it is a hard ceiling that applies with or without the down payment assistance. If you are carrying a car payment and student loans, that is the number to work on before you shop, and it is the one we can help you plan around.
Common questions
What is the income limit for NC Home Advantage?
$158,000, statewide. There is no county variation and no adjustment for household size. The figure is from NCHFA's program guide dated July 2026, and NCHFA notes the limit is subject to change.
Does NCHFA count the income of everyone living in the home?
No. NCHFA tests the income used to qualify for the loan, not total household income, so someone living in the home who is not on the mortgage does not count against the limit. A co-borrower who is on the loan does count and must meet the limit.
What credit score do I need for NC Home Advantage?
640 or higher. You need at least two credit scores per borrower. Where two scores are obtained the lower one is used, and where three are obtained the middle one is used. A borrower with only one score or no scores is not eligible.
Is there a maximum sales price for NC Home Advantage?
The program guide sets none for the product itself. The ceiling comes from your loan type instead, so an FHA loan is capped by the county FHA limit and a conventional loan by the conforming limit.
What is the maximum debt-to-income ratio for NC Home Advantage?
45.0%. It applies to every NC Home Advantage loan, whether or not the borrower uses the down payment assistance.
Want us to check your file against these limits?
Send us your county, household size and price target, and we will tell you which program you fit and what you would still need at closing. No obligation.