SeatMemphis
People910,226
Income cap, 3+$118,214
Price cap$500,000
Getting to know Shelby County as a buyer
Memphis is the center of things, but buyers also look in Bartlett, Collierville, Germantown and Millington. All of them fall under one Shelby County income limit, so the city you pick doesn't change your number.
Four public school systems operate here: Memphis-Shelby County Schools, Bartlett City Schools, Collierville Schools and Germantown Municipal School District. A full-time K-12 teacher in any of them, or at a Shelby County private school, fits the teacher rule.
On the public safety side, Memphis Police, the Shelby County Sheriff's Office, Memphis Fire and Shelby County Fire are the big employers. EMTs, paramedics and dispatchers working in the county qualify too.
The caps in Shelby County
| Cap for 1–2 people | Cap for 3 or more | Highest price allowed |
|---|
| $102,794 | $118,214 | $500,000 |
Shelby County's limit is $102,794 for 1-2 people and $118,214 for 3 or more, lower than the Nashville-area counties. Compare with every county's caps, or run your own budget.
More help that's specific to Shelby County
Local programs like these can sometimes sit on top of the state program, or stand in for it. Each one has its own rules, so your loan officer will sort out which ones play nicely together.
City of Memphis
- For
- Low/moderate-income buyers purchasing anywhere in Memphis city limits
- How much
- Up to 10% of sales price, not to exceed $25,000 (cap applies across City DPA programs, subject to funding)
- Income cap
- 80% AMI
- Price cap
- Current HUD HOME value limits
- Fine print
- Property must be inside Memphis city limits and pay Memphis city taxes; apply through an approved DPA lender with the Income Asset Questionnaire; DPA promissory note and deed signed after first mortgage
City page says requirements 'may include' first-time buyer status; per-program amounts and forgiveness terms not posted. Contact 901-636-7300.
Checked against the source November 2026 · how we check
The long versionCity of Memphis (15 designated areas)
- For
- Buyers up to 200% AMI purchasing in one of 15 designated areas
- How much
- Up to 10% of sales price, max $25,000 (City DPA cap)
- Income cap
- 200% AMI
- Price cap
- Current HUD HOME value limits
- Fine print
- Must buy within one of the 15 designated areas inside city limits
Designated-area map is in a linked PDF not read this session.
Checked against the source November 2026 · how we check
The long versionCity of Memphis
- For
- Current/recently displaced MHA residents (MHA DPA), Housing Choice Voucher holders (SHAPE), buyers through MHA's HOPE VI program (TADPA)
- How much
- Up to 10% of sales price, max $25,000 (City DPA cap)
- Income cap
- 80% AMI
- Price cap
- Current HUD HOME value limits
- Fine print
- Memphis city limits
Niche audience; list briefly.
Checked against the source November 2026 · how we check
The long versionShelby County Down Payment Assistance Program
Funds limitedShelby County
- For
- Low- to moderate-income homebuyers
- How much
- Up to $3,500 per county program sheet (undated); a Local Memphis news report says the max rose to $6,000 at 3% for 15 years - not confirmed on an official page
- Kind of help
- Loan with monthly payments
County program sheet: 5% fixed, 10-year term. SCDH's PY2026 Action Plan (Jul 1 2026-Jun 30 2027) says it plans to continue a DPA program countywide, funded with state and local funds.
Checked against the source November 2026 · how we check
Rise Up - Memphis and West Tennessee (United Housing)
Funds limitedMemphis and West Tennessee
- For
- First-time, first-generation homebuyers
- How much
- $25,000 grant (total pool up to $2 million)
- Kind of help
- Grant, never repaid
- First-timers only?
- Yes
- Fine print
- Must use an FHLB Cincinnati member lender
Announced Aug-Oct 2025 (news reports). Official FHLB page could not be rendered; county list and whether funds remain are unverified. Madison County inclusion assumed from 'West Tennessee' wording.
Checked against the source November 2026 · how we check
The full Tennessee program list
Homebuyer class options near Shelby County
Plan on a homebuyer class; almost every assistance program makes you take one before the closing date. Here is who near Shelby County is HUD-approved to teach it or sit down with you one on one:
| Agency | Office in | Miles away | Help offered | Spoken in | Ways to attend |
|---|
| Frayser Community Development Corporation | Memphis | 7 mi | homebuyer education class, pre-purchase counseling | English | Face to Face, Phone, Internet |
Pulled from HUD's housing counseling agency list. Programs don't all accept the same classes.
Which class does your program want? Ask a loan officer who does Tennessee programs. They'll name the class that counts and can get your pre-approval going at the same time.
See if I qualify
Who in Shelby County can use it
A few of the local employers whose people qualify:
- Memphis-Shelby County Schools
- Bartlett City Schools
- Collierville Schools
- Germantown Municipal School District
- Memphis Police Department
- Shelby County Sheriff's Office
- Memphis Fire Department
- Shelby County Fire Department
If you serve in Memphis but want to buy in Fayette or Tipton County, those counties have their own limits. All the jobs that count
Questions folks ask about Shelby County
What's the income limit in Memphis?
$102,794 for a household of 1-2 and $118,214 for 3 or more, under THDA's chart effective Aug. 1, 2026.
Do Germantown and Collierville teachers qualify?
Yes. Full-time K-12 teachers at Germantown Municipal, Collierville Schools or any Tennessee public or private school qualify.
Is the price limit higher in Shelby County?
No. It's $500,000 here, same as every county.
Nearby and elsewhere: Davidson County · Knox County · Hamilton County · Rutherford County · Williamson County · Montgomery County · Sumner County · Wilson County · Every county
