By Tyler Thompson · NC-Licensed Real Estate Agent · Updated November 2, 2026

Gillette WY Down Payment Assistance Programs

See programs you qualify for

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Gillette down payment assistance comes from state and statewide programs, not the city. Compare the three main loans, the cash you need at Campbell County prices and who to call.

Verified Nov. 2026

Quick answer

Most Gillette buyers choose between two state-backed options. WCDA's Homestretch lends as much as $15,000 interest-free with no payments, repaid when you sell. Welcome Home Wyoming adds a second worth 3% or 4% of your mortgage, forgiven after 30 years, with no first-time rule. Past owners can also use WCDA's amortizing loan, capped at $15,000. Each uses its own mortgage, so pick one.

Median home value: $264,500; Census ACS 2020-2024
3% down payment: $7,935; At the median value
Closing costs: $6,600–$9,300; 2.5% to 3.5% of price
Main programs: 3; Plus 8 options for some buyers

Forgivable means you repay nothing if you live in the home for the full term. Sell or move out early and you may owe some or all of it back.

Which program fits your Gillette home?

Find the row that describes you, then check the catch before you count on the money.

If you are	Start with	What you get	The catch
First-time buyer near the $264,500 median	Start with:WCDA Homestretch	You get:As much as $15,000 interest-free, no monthly payment	Catch:620 credit and $1,500 of your own; income up to $111,700 for 1–2 people
Owned a home in the last 3 years	Start with:WCDA Amortizing loan	You get:Up to $15,000, paid back within 10 years	Catch:Advantage first mortgage only; income up to $140,140 for any household size
Planning to keep the home 30 years	Start with:Welcome Home Wyoming	You get:A 3% or 4% second, forgiven at month 360	Catch:A sale or refinance before then repays the full amount
Veteran, service member or surviving spouse	Start with:VA loan	You get:No down payment with full entitlement	Catch:Get a Certificate of Eligibility first; funding fee unless exempt
Moderate income with little saved	Start with:USDA guaranteed loan	You get:0% down on eligible addresses	Catch:The address must pass USDA's map; income up to 115% of area median

Income and price limits: WCDA 2026 limits (June 22, 2026); Welcome Home Wyoming guidelines (May 12 and June 13, 2026).

Have a home in mind? Enter its address.

We’ll fill in its city and state on the free eligibility check. A mailing address that says Gillette isn’t always inside city limits, so confirm with the program before you make an offer.

How much cash you need in Gillette

Median home value (Census ACS 2020-2024)	$264,500
3% down payment (conventional loan)	$7,935
3.5% down payment (FHA loan)	$9,258
Closing costs, 2.5% to 3.5% of price	$6,600–$9,300
Cash needed with 3% down, before any help	$14,535–$17,235
Cash needed after WCDA Homestretch's $15,000	$0–$2,235

Expect closing costs between 2.5% and 3.5% of the price. That covers lender fees, title insurance, recording and the first deposits for taxes and homeowners insurance. Estimate only, not a quote.

Compare Gillette's main programs

Program	Who runs it	Help	Paid back?	Who can apply
WCDA Homestretch	Runs it:Wyoming Community Development	Help:Up to $15,000	Paid back?Yes, at 0%: due on sale, refinance or year 30	Who:First-Time, Spruce Up or Edge borrowers
WCDA Amortizing loan	Runs it:Wyoming Community Development	Help:Up to $15,000	Paid back?Yes, monthly over 10 years or less	Who:Advantage borrowers, past owners too
Welcome Home Wyoming	Runs it:Cheyenne Housing Authority	Help:3% or 4% second mortgage	Paid back?Forgiven at 30 years; full payoff if sold sooner	Who:First-time and repeat buyers

Can you combine them? No. Homestretch and the amortizing loan each need a WCDA first mortgage. Welcome Home Wyoming needs its own program loan, so a Gillette buyer picks one. A Home$tart grant is the exception: it can sit on top of any of them when a member bank has funds.

Other help for some Gillette buyers

FHLB Des Moines Home$tart: A $15,000 grant for first-time buyers at 80% or less of the local median. It is forgiven over 5 years. A member bank must reserve it, and the October 2026 release is fully reserved.
HUD Good Neighbor Next Door: Police officers, teachers, firefighters and EMTs can buy a HUD home in a revitalization area at half price. They must live in it 3 years.
HUD $100 down: HUD-owned Gillette homes bought by an owner-occupant with an FHA loan need $100 down.

Loan types that work with this help

FHA needs 3.5% down. HomeReady and Home Possible need 3% down from lower-income buyers. VA needs nothing down from eligible veterans. USDA needs nothing down, and on November 2, 2026, its map did not mark central Gillette ineligible.

Three Gillette examples

Examples only, not quotes. Closing costs use 3% of the price, the middle of the range above.

$264,500 median home, first-time buyer, FHA

Price	$264,500
Down payment	$9,258
Closing costs	$7,935
WCDA Homestretch	−$15,000
You bring	$2,193

The $2,193 you bring covers WCDA's $1,500 minimum contribution. Homestretch is never forgiven, so plan to repay it when you sell.

$240,000 home, past owner, Welcome Home Wyoming 4%

Price	$240,000
Down payment	$8,400
Closing costs	$7,200
Welcome Home Wyoming 4%	−$9,264
You bring	$6,336

The 4% is figured on the $231,600 base FHA loan. Nothing is forgiven early, so a sale in year 10 repays all $9,264.

$230,000 house, USDA loan with Welcome Home Wyoming 3%

Price	$230,000
Down payment	$0
Closing costs	$6,900
Welcome Home Wyoming 3%	−$6,900
You bring	$0

USDA can finance the full price where its map marks the address eligible. Any 3% left after closing costs goes to the loan balance. Budget for the inspection and moving.

How to apply in Gillette

1
Check the address first
USDA Rural Development and Campbell County
Look up the address on USDA's eligibility map if you want a no-down-payment USDA loan. Confirm the parcel is in Campbell County too, since WCDA sets its income limits by county.
eligibility.sc.egov.usda.gov
2
Finish the homebuyer class
Wyoming Housing Network
WCDA's first-time loans and Welcome Home Wyoming both require a class before closing. Wyoming Housing Network's online course costs $75 and ends with a one-on-one counseling session.
307-233-8518, education@whninc.org · whninc.org
3
Choose a lender that offers your program
WCDA participating lenders
WCDA lists Gillette loan officers at First National Bank, First Northern Bank of Wyoming, Pinnacle Bank, Gold Star Mortgage and Guild. Ask each one whether it also offers Welcome Home Wyoming or holds Home$tart funds.
wyomingcda.com
4
Apply through the lender
WCDA, eHousingPlus and FHLB Des Moines
You apply through the lender, not the agency. The lender reserves Homestretch, the amortizing loan or Welcome Home Wyoming along with your first mortgage. Home$tart funds must be reserved before closing.
WCDA: 307-265-0603 · Welcome Home Wyoming (eHousingPlus): 888-643-7974 · FHLB Des Moines: 800-544-3452 ext. 2400 · Wyoming Housing Network: 307-233-8518 · wyomingcda.com

Free eligibility check

11 programs and loan options may be available in Gillette. See which ones fit you.

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Before you make an offer in Gillette

File for the 25% tax exemption

Wyoming's homeowner exemption takes 25% off a home's taxable value, but since 2026 you must file an owner-occupied affidavit. File with the Campbell County Assessor or through the state Department of Revenue's online claim after you move in.

Manufactured homes have extra rules

Census counts show just 50.9% of Gillette homes are detached houses. Welcome Home Wyoming needs a 660 credit score for any manufactured home and won't fund single-wides. WCDA needs a permanent foundation that meets FHA rules.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does the City of Gillette offer its own down payment help?+

No. Neither the City of Gillette nor Campbell County advertises a homebuyer down payment program. Buyers here use statewide options instead: WCDA's Homestretch and amortizing loans, Welcome Home Wyoming, and Home$tart grants through member banks.

Can I stack Homestretch with Welcome Home Wyoming on one Gillette purchase?+

No. Homestretch needs a WCDA first mortgage, and Welcome Home Wyoming needs its own program mortgage. Ask one lender to quote both. On a $264,500 FHA purchase, Homestretch's $15,000 beats 4% of the loan, which is about $10,200.

On a $264,500 Gillette house, what cash should I set aside?+

$14,500 to $17,200 with 3% down on a $264,500 home, before any help. With Homestretch's $15,000, a qualifying buyer could bring as little as WCDA's $1,500 minimum, up to about $2,200.

Can a past owner get help buying in Gillette?+

Yes. WCDA's amortizing loan, and its Edge loan with Homestretch, are open to past owners. Welcome Home Wyoming has no first-time rule. Home$tart and WCDA's First-Time loan are the ones limited to first-time buyers.

Can a Gillette buyer use a USDA loan with no money down?+

Yes, in most of the city. On November 2, 2026, USDA's eligibility map did not mark central Gillette as ineligible. Check your exact address on the map, and keep household income under 115% of the area median.

Buying elsewhere in Wyoming? Compare all Wyoming home buyer programs →

Sources

Last verified November 2, 2026.

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