Wisconsin income limits: two tables, and the one you need depends on the program
Program and regulatory figures verified October 4, 2026. Details change; confirm your scenario with us.
Two tables, measured two different ways. Reading the wrong one is the most common mistake in Wisconsin down payment assistance, and it usually costs someone a program they did qualify for.
Why are there two income tables?
Because the programs target different borrowers. Easy Close rides the WHEDA Advantage household compliance limits, the same limits that govern the first mortgage, grouped into a one-to-two person column and a three-or-more column. Capital Access is described in its product matrix as targeting low income borrowers, and it uses its own table broken out by exact household size from one to eight people.
They are not the same numbers rounded differently. They are separate measurements with separate purposes, and a household can clear one comfortably while failing the other.
WHEDA Advantage compliance limits — governs Easy Close
Non-target rows, effective 6/13/2026. The FNMA 80% AMI column is shown because it determines mortgage insurance coverage, not eligibility.
| County | 1–2 person | 3+ | FNMA 80% AMI |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dane (Madison) | $135,300 | $155,595 | $103,200 |
| St. Croix | $131,500 | $151,225 | $104,880 |
| Outagamie / Calumet | $111,200 | $127,880 | $88,960 |
| Milwaukee | $108,400 | $124,660 | $86,720 |
| Brown (Green Bay) | $106,300 | $122,245 | $84,720 |
| Most other counties | $105,800 | $121,670 | $76,800 |
Target-area rows run higher, commonly $126,960 for one to two people and $148,120 for three or more, and several cities carry their own row distinct from the surrounding county.
Capital Access limits — by household size
| County | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dane | $74,800 | $85,450 | $96,150 | $106,800 |
| Calumet | $62,300 | $71,200 | $80,100 | $88,950 |
| Green | $61,600 | $70,400 | $79,200 | $88,000 |
| Brown | $59,550 | $68,050 | $76,550 | $85,050 |
| Eau Claire / Chippewa | $56,750 | $64,850 | $72,950 | $81,050 |
| Most other counties | $53,800 | $61,450 | $69,150 | $76,800 |
The table continues to eight people. Note that the all-other-counties four-person Capital Access figure, $76,800, is the same number that appears as the FNMA 80% AMI figure in the Advantage table for those counties, a coincidence of the underlying AMI math, not a rule you can generalise.
Can I estimate my county from a nearby one?
No, and this is worth being firm about. Counties that look economically similar carry different figures, and several cities carry their own rows separate from the county they sit in. The published row for your exact county, and where applicable your city, is the only number that governs. Reproduce it; never interpolate between counties or scale one column off another.
That last point has bitten this network before on another state, where a single multiplier applied across columns understated a larger household's limit. There is no safe multiplier here either.
Frequently asked questions
What are the WHEDA income limits in Wisconsin?
They depend on the program and the county. The WHEDA Advantage compliance limits that govern Easy Close run from $105,800 for one to two people in most counties up to $135,300 in Dane County, effective 6/13/2026. Capital Access uses a separate, lower table by household size, from $53,800 for one person in most other counties up to $74,800 in Dane County.Why is my income too high for Capital Access but fine for Easy Close?
Because the two programs use different income tables. Capital Access targets lower income borrowers and publishes limits by exact household size, while Easy Close uses the broader WHEDA Advantage compliance limits with one-to-two and three-or-more columns. In Dane County the gap for a four-person household is $106,800 against $155,595.Do WHEDA income limits vary by household size?
Both tables account for household size, but differently. The Advantage compliance limits use two brackets, one to two people and three or more. The Capital Access limits are published for each household size from one through eight people.Are target-area income limits higher in Wisconsin?
Yes. Target-area rows in the WHEDA Advantage compliance table run higher than non-target rows, commonly $126,960 for one to two people and $148,120 for three or more. Some cities also carry their own row separate from the surrounding county.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.