# Houston Apartment Income Limits: Check the County and Program

> Check the county and housing program for an apartment in the Houston area before checking income limits. Harris County figures don’t cover every nearby address.

URL: https://incomerestrictedapartments.com/guide/houston-ami-income-limits-who-qualifies/
Phone: +1 (888) 411-4403

Plain answers backed by official sources

# Houston income limits: choose the right table

A “Houston area” label doesn’t tell you which income table or rent calculation applies. Separate Harris and Brazoria addresses, then tell an unassisted tax credit quote apart from subsidized rent.

[How we check our information](/editorial-standards/). Before you apply, confirm application status and unit details with the property or agency.

## Harris County, Brazoria and buildings with more than one program

Don’t use Harris County numbers for every Greater Houston address. Brazoria County has its own income area. Write down the actual county first.

A building may offer both a tax credit rental and project-based assistance. Ask which application and which kind of unit you’re comparing your income against. [The agency’s Pointe at Bayou Bend notice shows how that split can look](https://www.alliancehtx.org/news-updates/the-pointe-at-bayou-bend-waitlist-opening).

## Let the Houston address pick the table

A search that runs from Alief or Spring Branch out to Pearland can cross into a different income area. Our [income comparison](/tools/ami-eligibility-estimator/) covers Harris County only. Part of Pearland sits in Brazoria County, so check the county for a Pearland address before you use that result. Go by the building’s county, not the ad’s “Houston area” label.

For each address, save the table year, household size and income tier used. If a leasing office gives a different figure, ask for the table that property uses before deciding either source is wrong. A unit can have restrictions a general county calculator doesn’t account for.

## A low advertised rent may belong to a different application

Houston’s [renter page](https://www.houstontx.gov/housing/rentals.html) links to the city’s affordable rental dashboard and to housing agency contacts. Ask the manager whether the quoted unit is rent restricted without assistance or has a subsidy attached. The answer changes who reviews your income and how rent is set.

For a building with more than one program, keep separate notes for the ordinary leasing application and any project-based assistance application. Don’t assume the lowest advertised rent is available through either one. Ask management to label the quote in writing.

## Bring a Houston comparison you can use at the leasing office

- Bring the exact property address and the quoted unit type, not just a screenshot headed “Houston affordable apartments.”

- Note whether your income estimate includes overtime, variable hours or a recent change, and ask what proof management needs.

- If you have a voucher, name the agency that issued it. Ask which income questions go to that agency instead of the leasing office.

Check the figures management quotes against [TDHCA’s income and rent limit tables](https://www.tdhca.texas.gov/income-and-rent-limits). Then weigh the full monthly quote against what it costs to get to work or regular care. A lower base rent across town may not end up cheaper. For property leads, [save a Houston shortlist](/property-finder/houston/), but don’t assume those records confirm vacancies.

Plan the real trip with [Houston METRO’s rail pages](https://www.ridemetro.org/riding-metro/transit-services/metrorail), and check travel times against your own schedule.

Confirm property availability with management.

## Want help finding a community?

Tell us where you want to live, your budget and what your household needs. We’ll help you sort out where to apply, and the property or agency makes the final call on approval.

[Help Me Pick a Community](/find-housing/)