OHFA Special Rates: OHFA 4 Schools (formerly OHFA 4Teachers) and OHFA Shield · Payne County
Payne County: down payment help for first-time buyers
Stillwater, Cushing, Perkins and Yale school and public-safety workers can get 0.125% off OHFA's Gold rate plus 3.5% of the loan.
What buying looks like in Payne County
Payne County, about 84,000 people, is centered on Stillwater with Cushing, Perkins and Yale nearby. Stillwater Public Schools, Cushing Public Schools and Perkins-Tryon Public Schools are the districts to know for OHFA 4 Schools.
For Shield, the Stillwater Police Department and Stillwater Fire Department are municipal employers. Payne County Sheriff's Office deputies should run the municipal wording past a lender.
Payne County has the highest Gold income limit of the 20 counties on this site. That gives two-income households, like a teacher married to a firefighter, a bit more room.
The caps in Payne County
| Household of 1 or 2 | Household of 3+ | House price cap |
|---|---|---|
| $99,840 | $114,878 | $349,525 |
Payne County's Gold limit is $99,840 for 1-2 people and $114,878 for 3 or more, the highest among the counties covered here. Caps for the rest of Oklahoma · Figure your budget
More help around Payne County
We could not find a program just for Payne County at the moment. The statewide choices still work here, and the full Oklahoma list has all of them.
Homebuyer classes near Payne County
Nearly every down payment program wants you to finish a homebuyer class before you close. These HUD-approved agencies close to Payne County teach one, or sit down with you for pre-purchase counseling:
| Agency | Town | How far | What they offer | Languages | How they teach |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Community Action Agency of Oklahoma City and Oklahoma/Canadian Counties, Inc. | Oklahoma City | 54 mi | homebuyer education class, pre-purchase counseling | English | Phone |
Pulled from HUD's list of housing counseling agencies. Programs don't all accept the same classes.
Local employers that count
A few of the eligible employers around here:
- Stillwater Public Schools
- Cushing Public Schools
- Perkins-Tryon Public Schools
- Stillwater Police Department
- Stillwater Fire Department
- Payne County Sheriff's Office
Stillwater teachers and firefighters, Cushing school staff and Perkins-Tryon employees are on the eligible list. The full list of eligible jobs
Questions about Payne County
Why is Payne County's limit higher?
OHFA sets limits county by county. Payne's 3+ person limit is $114,878, above Oklahoma and Tulsa counties.
Does a Perkins-Tryon bus driver qualify?
OHFA says all school employees qualify since 2025, but older guide wording mentions a teaching certificate. Confirm with a lender.
Is the 3.5% forgiven?
No. It's a 0% second mortgage repaid on sale, refinance or when the first mortgage ends.
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