Middlesex County, MA First-Time Home Buyer Programs and Down Payment Help

Middlesex County buyers can apply to 3 local down payment programs, with help up to $30,000 through MassHousing Down Payment Assistance (DPA), on top of Massachusetts's statewide programs. Figures below were read from the administering agencies' own pages on September 11, 2026.

Local programs in Middlesex County

These are run by Commonwealth of Massachusetts (statewide, all Middlesex County communities), City of Cambridge, City of Lowell, separate from the state housing finance agency, and can usually be combined with a state loan. Check the program page for current funding before you apply.

Program	Type	Amount	Income limit	First-time only	Where
MassHousing Down Payment Assistance (DPA) Commonwealth of Massachusetts (statewide, all Middlesex County communities) (MassHousing (Massachusetts Housing Finance Agency)) · source	second mortgage (deferred 0% interest, or amortizing 2%/3% options)	Up to $30,000 (Option 1, deferred 0% interest); $25,000 amortizing options also available at 2% or 3% APR	Income-eligible first-time homebuyer;	Yes	Any city or town in Middlesex County (and all of Massachusetts);
Down Payment Assistance Program City of Cambridge (Cambridge Community Development Department (CDD), Housing Division) · source	forgivable loan	Up to 6% of the purchase price (up to $10,000 cited by the City)	Income-eligible first-time homebuyer; confirm current limit with CDD Housing Division	Yes	Single-family home, condominium, or 2-3 family home in the City of Cambridge (Middlesex South) that will be the buyer's primary residence
City of Lowell HOME Down Payment Assistance Program City of Lowell (City of Lowell Department of Planning and Development (federally funded HOME program); applications processed through Merrimack Valley Housing Partnership (MVHP), the City's designated housing counseling partner) · source	0% interest deferred second mortgage loan	Amount based on need, up to $20,000	Must not exceed HUD HOME income limits for the Lowell, MA HUD Metro FMR Area: $76,750 (1 person), $87,700 (2), $98,650 (3), $109,600 (4), $118,400 (5), $127,150 (6), $135,950 (7), $144,700 (8)	Yes	Property must be located in Lowell

MassHousing Down Payment Assistance (DPA). DPA loan must be repaid if the property is sold or refinanced, or when the first mortgage is paid off. Requires MassHousing-approved homebuyer education. MassHousing is a quasi-public state housing finance agency, not a private lender.
Down Payment Assistance Program. Forgiven at 20% per year over 5 years of owner-occupancy. Requires completing a first-time homebuyer workshop. Contact: Housing Division, (617) 349-4622, [email protected].
City of Lowell HOME Down Payment Assistance Program. Zero-interest, repayment due at sale or transfer of the property; subordination considered case-by-case. Household debt-to-income ratio cannot exceed 45%. There is a $310 mortgage recording fee specific to this program.

Income limits in Middlesex County

Down payment programs here are keyed to HUD's income limits for Lowell, MA HUD Metro FMR Area (covers Middlesex North / Lowell; Middlesex South communities such as Cambridge and Newton fall instead under the Boston-Cambridge-Quincy, MA-NH HUD Metro FMR Area, which has notably higher limits) (fiscal year 2026): the 80% limit that most programs use is $109,600 for a four-person household. Limits scale with household size; each program page has the full table. HUD income limits

Massachusetts statewide programs you can also use in Middlesex County

MassHousing (Massachusetts Housing Finance Agency) (homebuyer programs page) runs 2 statewide programs open to buyers anywhere in Massachusetts, with down payment help up to $30,000 through MassHousing Down Payment Assistance. Most local programs above can be combined with a state first mortgage; check each program's pairing rule.

Program	Type	Amount	First-time only	Min. credit	Income limit
MassHousing Down Payment Assistance source	Second mortgage	Option 1: up to $30,000, 0% interest, deferred (due on sale/refinance/payoff of first mortgage). Option 2: up to $25,000, 15-year amortizing second mortgage at 2% fixed. Option 3: up to $25,000, 15-year amortizing second mortgage at 3% fixed	Yes	n/a	Income-eligible per MassHousing Mortgage limits (varies by household size/location);
ONE Mortgage source	First mortgage	As little as 3% down payment (5% for three-family properties); low fixed interest rate with a declining MHP interest-rate subsidy over the first 7 years; no PMI	Yes	n/a	Program income limits vary by city/town and household size;

Full Massachusetts program details, limits and how to apply →

Middlesex County closing costs that differ from the rest of Massachusetts

Transfer tax: Massachusetts Deeds Excise Tax (state transfer tax, customarily seller-paid): $4.56 per $1,000 (or fraction thereof) of consideration/taxable value, per Middlesex Registry of Deeds fee schedules; no excise due if consideration is under $100. Middlesex County has two registries, Middlesex North (Lowell, serving 25 northern communities) and Middlesex South (Cambridge, serving the rest of the county), both charge the same statewide excise rate. Source

Recording the deed costs $155 and the mortgage $205. Fee schedule

Owner's title policy: buyer (customary in Massachusetts)

Recording fees shown ($155 deed, $205 mortgage) are the Middlesex North Registry of Deeds fee schedule;G.L. c. 262. A Municipal Lien Certificate (often obtained before closing) costs $80 at Middlesex North. Massachusetts has no county-level real estate transfer tax beyond the state deeds excise;

See Massachusetts closing costs, title insurance and who pays →

Frequently asked questions

What down payment assistance is available in Middlesex County, MA?

MassHousing Down Payment Assistance (DPA) (Commonwealth of Massachusetts (statewide, all Middlesex County communities), up to $30,000); Down Payment Assistance Program (City of Cambridge, up to $10,000); City of Lowell HOME Down Payment Assistance Program (City of Lowell, up to $20,000). Massachusetts statewide programs can be used here too.

What is the income limit for first-time buyer programs in Middlesex County?

Most programs cap income at 80% of HUD's area median, which is $109,600 for a four-person household in Lowell, MA HUD Metro FMR Area (covers Middlesex North / Lowell; Middlesex South communities such as Cambridge and Newton fall instead under the Boston-Cambridge-Quincy, MA-NH HUD Metro FMR Area, which has notably higher limits) (FY2026). Some programs allow up to 120% or 150% of median; each program page lists its own table by household size.

Is there a transfer tax in Middlesex County?

Massachusetts Deeds Excise Tax (state transfer tax, customarily seller-paid): $4.56 per $1,000 (or fraction thereof) of consideration/taxable value, per Middlesex Registry of Deeds fee schedules; no excise due if consideration is under $100. Middlesex County has two registries, Middlesex North (Lowell, serving 25 northern communities) and Middlesex South (Cambridge, serving the rest of the county), both charge the same statewide excise rate.

What is the median home price in Middlesex County?

About $727,800, per U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: Middlesex County, Massachusetts - Median value of owner-occupied housing units, 2020-2024 (ACS 5-Year). Down payment help of up to $30,000 covers roughly 4% of that price.

Official sources

Middlesex County figures last verified against official sources on September 11, 2026.

This is general information, not financial advice. Program funding, limits and terms change; confirm the current rules with the administering agency and your lender before you rely on them.

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