Salt Lake County Down Payment Assistance (Utah Housing DPA)
If you're buying in Salt Lake County, Utah Housing can cover your down payment and most closing costs with a second mortgage. Here's how the county's income and price limits actually work, and which neighborhoods still fit under the cap.
How Utah Housing DPA works in Salt Lake County
Salt Lake County is where most of our Utah buyers land, and it is also where the price cap bites first. The county sits in its own limit tier: a $666,600 maximum acquisition price, lower than Utah, Davis, or Weber County. That number matters. A West Valley City townhome or a Magna starter home fits comfortably. A Draper single-family with a finished basement often does not. Before you fall for a listing, check it against the cap.
The assistance itself is a Utah Housing second mortgage that pairs with a UHC first mortgage. Pick Traditional and you get up to 6% of the loan amount (capped at $27,500) as an amortizing second at one point above your first-mortgage rate. Pick Deferred and you get up to 3.5% (also capped at $27,500) with no monthly payment until you sell, refinance, or pay off. Both cover down payment and closing costs, so a lot of Salt Lake County buyers walk in with very little out of pocket.
Which Salt Lake County areas fit under the cap?
The $666,600 acquisition limit still leaves a real map to shop. West Valley City, Kearns, Magna, Taylorsville, Midvale, and West Jordan hold the largest share of homes under the cap. South Salt Lake and Millcreek condos work. Parts of Sandy, Murray, and South Jordan (including newer Daybreak attached product) come in under the line depending on the week. Draper, Herriman on the ridge, Holladay, and Cottonwood Heights are the areas where you are most likely to blow past it. None of that is a hard rule — it moves with the market — but it is the honest lay of the land.
What if my income is over the Salt Lake County limit?
The income limit is $126,100 for one or two people and $145,000 for three or more. If you are just over, a few things can help: Utah Housing counts qualifying income, not always your gross household total, and family size is the pivot. A household of three or four gets the higher ceiling. If you are meaningfully over even that, the UHC programs will not fit, and I will tell you that on the first call rather than run you in circles. There are conventional low-down-payment routes worth comparing in that case.
Do I have to be a first-time buyer in Salt Lake County?
No. This is the piece most Salt Lake County buyers get wrong. Utah Housing serves repeat buyers too. First-time buyers use FirstHome and need a 660 credit score. If you have owned before, the FHA/VA program takes a 620. Same DPA second, same county limits. So a family that sold a starter home in Kearns and wants to move up in Riverton can still use the assistance, as long as the price and income fit the county caps. See the full breakdown on our Utah Housing eligibility page.
Salt Lake County figures verified August 2026 from utahhousingcorp.org/lenders/limits/. Limits change periodically; confirm your county numbers with us or on the UHC limits page before relying on a figure. Related: Utah County DPA · Davis & Weber County DPA · Traditional vs. Deferred DPA.
Common questions
What is the down payment assistance limit in Salt Lake County?
Utah Housing DPA in Salt Lake County follows the statewide structure: a Traditional second mortgage up to 6% of the loan amount (capped at $27,500) or a Deferred second up to 3.5% (also capped at $27,500). It covers down payment and closing costs and pairs with a Utah Housing first mortgage.
What is the maximum home price for Utah Housing in Salt Lake County?
The maximum acquisition (purchase) price in Salt Lake County is $666,600 as of August 2026. That is the tightest price cap on the Wasatch Front, so verify a specific listing against the cap before writing an offer.
What is the income limit for Utah Housing in Salt Lake County?
The FirstHome income limit in Salt Lake County is $126,100 for a 1-2 person household and $145,000 for a household of 3 or more, verified August 2026. Family size raises the ceiling, so larger households qualify at higher incomes.
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