Increase your buying power in North Dakota
9 homebuyer assistance programs in North Dakota put grants, forgivable loans and special mortgages toward your down payment and closing costs, so your budget goes further. Add creative financing like seller credits and rate buydowns, and it stretches even more.
What 9 programs tell us about buying in North Dakota
Rural counties pay the most
Dunn County, McKenzie County and Valley City-Barnes County each offer up to $40,000, mostly for newly built homes, forgiven after five years.
NDHFA help is a grant
North Dakota Housing Finance Agency’s Start and DCA programs cover up to 3% of your mortgage toward down payment and closing costs.
Two out of three never repaid
6 of 9 North Dakota programs are grants or forgivable loans if you stay in the home for the required period.
How the help arrives · 9 programs
Award sizes · grants and loans with a dollar cap
2 more pay a percentage of the price or loan, which scales with the home you buy. Your award depends on income, price and location.
Who runs them
4 programs are available statewide. 5 are limited to a city, county or region, so the address you buy at changes what you can get.
More programs, more buying power. Most buyers qualify for more than one. The Wallet Wizard checks income limits, price caps and location rules across all 9 North Dakota programs and 4 multi-state programs at once, and shows where creative financing like seller credits can stack on top.
Check my eligibilityPrograms to know in North Dakota
A few of the 9 programs we track, chosen for reach, award size and terms. Amounts are program maximums; what you receive depends on income, price and location.
Start Program
North Dakota Housing Finance AgencyUp to 3% of your mortgage toward down payment and closing costs, with as little as $500 of your own money.
DCA Program
North Dakota Housing Finance AgencyHelp equal to 3% of your mortgage for modest-income buyers who complete homebuyer education.
Down Payment Assistance Program (DPI)
Dunn County4% up to $10,000 on existing homes, 6% up to $20,000 on new homes, and 12% up to $40,000 on new homes with special assessments.
Housing Down Payment Assistance
McKenzie County Job Development Authority5% up to $15,000 for an existing home, or 10% up to $40,000 for a newly built home.
Single-Family Home Buyer Assistance
Valley City-Barnes County Development CorporationUp to $40,000 inside Valley City limits toward building a new single-family home.
Essential Public Employee Program (EP2)
Lewis & Clark Development GroupUp to $10,000 toward down payment and closing costs for essential public employees.
4 multi-state programs also serve North Dakota
Offered by banks, credit unions and Federal Home Loan Banks in several states at once. Most are tied to that lender's own mortgage, so the lender you choose decides whether you can use them. The Wallet Wizard shows which ones you can pair.
FHLBank Des Moines Native American Homeownership Initiative
Forgivable loan · 13 states Check eligibilitySouth Dakota Native Homeownership Coalition DPA
Forgivable loan · 2 states Check eligibilityThese are 4 of the 4 multi-state programs open to North Dakota buyers. See which ones you qualify for
See how much more home you can afford in North Dakota
- 1Answer a few questions in the Wallet WizardWhere you want to buy, household size, income range, job and military status.
- 2Get matched against every program we trackIncome limits, price caps, location rules and repayment terms, checked for you.
- 3Work with a pro who knows creative financingAgents and loan officers on Homebuyer Wallet see the same matches you do, and can layer in seller credits, lender credits and rate buydowns.
Every North Dakota program, matched to your buyer in seconds
Homebuyer Wallet gives professionals the full program record: income tables, price caps, approved lenders, provider contacts and application steps. Close the deals that stall on cash to close.
North Dakota homebuyer assistance FAQ
How much down payment assistance can I get in North Dakota?
It depends on where you buy and your household income. Among the 5 North Dakota programs we track that publish a dollar cap, the median award is $40,000. Others pay a percentage of the price or loan. The Wallet Wizard shows the amounts you could get for the home you want.
How do these programs increase my buying power?
Assistance covers part of your down payment or closing costs, or lowers your rate, so less of your own cash goes in upfront. The same savings and income can then support a higher purchase price or a lower monthly payment. Many buyers stack a statewide program with a local one to stretch further.
Can I combine these programs with seller credits or other creative financing?
Usually, yes. Seller credits toward closing costs, lender credits and rate buydowns can often be used alongside assistance programs, within your loan’s limits. The Wallet Wizard shows what fits together, and Homebuyer Wallet agents and loan officers can help you structure it.
Do I have to pay the assistance back?
6 of the 9 active programs (67%) are grants or forgivable loans: you repay nothing if you keep the home as your primary residence for the required period. 1 more are deferred or repayable second loans, due when you sell, refinance or move out, or paid monthly.
Do I need to be a first-time homebuyer?
Not always. Many North Dakota programs are open to repeat buyers, and most first-time rules count anyone who has not owned a home in the past three years. The Wallet Wizard checks each program’s ownership rule for you.
Are there programs for teachers, first responders or other workers?
Yes. 1 program we track in North Dakota are tied to a specific employer or profession, such as public employees, educators, first responders, healthcare workers or service members. Job-based programs often stack with income-based ones.
Can I combine more than one program?
Sometimes. North Dakota has 4 programs available statewide and 5 limited to a city, county or region. Many local programs are built to layer on top of a statewide loan; others prohibit stacking. Your lender confirms what combines with your first mortgage.
How do I find out which programs I qualify for?
Answer a few questions in the Wallet Wizard: where you want to buy, household size, income range and job. It checks income limits, price caps, location rules and funding status across every program we track in North Dakota, plus multi-state and national programs, and shows the ones that fit.
How current is this information?
Our team reviews every program against the provider’s own materials on a rolling basis. Funding opens and closes often; the Wallet Wizard shows each program’s current status.
Explore another state
All Top ProgramsSource: the Homebuyer Wallet database of 2,000+ Community Home Investment Programs (CHIPs). Each program is reviewed by our team against the provider’s own website and documents. Award amounts are program maximums.