The two Wisconsin counties that play by Twin Cities rules
Program and regulatory figures verified October 4, 2026. Details change; confirm your scenario with us.
Western Wisconsin is a Twin Cities housing market with a Wisconsin address, and the lending rules partly acknowledge that and partly do not.
What exactly is different here?
One thing: the FHA loan limit. Pierce and St. Croix carry $552,000 on a one-unit home against $541,287 everywhere else in Wisconsin, and $706,650 on a two-unit against $693,050. Both figures took effect 1/1/2026. Nothing else about WHEDA changes at the county line.
| Limit | Pierce / St. Croix | Rest of Wisconsin |
|---|---|---|
| FHA 1 unit | $552,000 | $541,287 |
| FHA 2 unit | $706,650 | $693,050 |
| Conventional 1 unit | $832,750 | $832,750 |
Why do these two counties get a higher limit?
Because FHA sets loan limits by metropolitan area, not by state, and both counties fall inside the Minneapolis–St. Paul metro. Hudson, River Falls, New Richmond and Prescott function as Twin Cities commuter towns, and their housing costs follow that market rather than Eau Claire's or Madison's.
It is a small difference in percentage terms and it occasionally matters a great deal on a specific file, particularly at the top of the FHA range where $10,713 is the gap between a workable structure and a larger down payment.
What about income limits out here?
St. Croix carries among the highest WHEDA Advantage compliance limits in Wisconsin at $131,500 for one to two people and $151,225 for three or more, second only to Dane County. That reflects the same Twin Cities income profile. On Capital Access, the separate and lower table still applies.
Which assistance program fits here?
Often Easy Close, for two reasons. Incomes in the western counties frequently sit above the Capital Access table, and the 6% maximum scales with the higher purchase prices common in the Hudson and River Falls corridor in a way the flat $7,500 does not. That said, the Capital Access property test is worth checking before assuming. Compare the two.
Frequently asked questions
Which Wisconsin counties have higher FHA loan limits?
Pierce and St. Croix. Both carry a one-unit FHA limit of $552,000 against $541,287 in every other Wisconsin county, and a two-unit limit of $706,650 against $693,050, effective 1/1/2026. Both counties sit inside the Minneapolis-St. Paul metropolitan area.Does the conventional loan limit change in western Wisconsin?
No. All 72 Wisconsin counties sit at the national baseline conventional limit of $832,750 for one unit, including Pierce and St. Croix. Only the FHA limit varies.Are WHEDA income limits higher in St. Croix County?
Yes. St. Croix carries $131,500 for a one-to-two person household and $151,225 for three or more on the WHEDA Advantage compliance table, among the highest in Wisconsin and second to Dane County. The separate Capital Access income table still applies for that program.Mike Certo · NMLS #260555 · Cornerstone First Mortgage NMLS #173855 · Equal Housing Lender. Educational content about financing, not a loan commitment and not legal or tax advice. WHEDA program terms, income limits and purchase price limits are set by the Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority and change; figures here carry the date we verified them against WHEDA's published documents. Easy Close down payment assistance is an amortizing second mortgage with a monthly payment, not a grant. Capital Access is a deferred second mortgage repayable when the first mortgage is paid off or refinanced. Loans are subject to borrower and property qualification.