640, 660, and a DTI Grid That Moves With Your Score
Program and regulatory figures verified September 26, 2026. Details change; confirm your scenario with us.
Missouri publishes an actual grid rather than a single number, and on the government side twenty points of credit score buys you five points of ratio.
The grid
| Loan type | Credit score | Maximum DTI |
|---|---|---|
| Government (FHA, VA, USDA) | 640–679 | 45% |
| Government (FHA, VA, USDA) | 680 or higher | 50% |
| Conventional | 640 or higher | 50% |
| Any, manufactured home | 660 minimum | As above |
Two things fall out of that. On the government side, moving from 679 to 680 is worth five points of debt-to-income, which on a real file is a meaningful amount of buying power. And on the conventional side the ratio does not step at all: 50% is available from 640.
So for a borrower who is tight on ratio rather than on score, the conventional route can be the more forgiving one at 640 to 679, which is the reverse of the usual assumption. The conventional route · the FHA route.
The manufactured-home step
MHDC requires 660 rather than 640 for all manufactured home purchases. That is a twenty-point step and it applies regardless of loan type. Double-wide mobile homes are on MHDC's eligible property list, so this is a live consideration across much of outstate Missouri.
Worth knowing before you shop, because a 645 score that works fine for a stick-built house does not work for a manufactured one. Eligible properties.
Who actually sets these
MHDC notes that both FICO and DTI limitations are established by the master servicer and subject to change. The master servicer is US Bank.
That matters in two ways. The figures on this page carry the date we read them, 2026-09-26, and a servicer can move them without a change in Missouri law or MHDC policy. And lenders may set more restrictive minimums of their own, which MHDC explicitly permits.
640 is a floor, not a pass mark
Below it the program is closed regardless of everything else. At or above it, the program is open and the file still has to work: income under the limit, ratio inside the grid, an eligible property, reserves where the product wants them.
If you are at 620 or 630, the useful move is not to wait vaguely. It is to have someone read the actual report and tell you which two or three items carry the most weight and roughly how long they take. Sometimes that is a short timeline. Send us a copy.
What the assistance does to your ratio
The MHDC second is a forgivable loan with no monthly payment during the term, so it does not add a monthly obligation to your debt-to-income calculation the way an amortising second would.
What it does add is a lien and a repayment obligation on sale or refinance inside ten years, with nothing forgiven for the first five. That is not a ratio problem. It is a planning problem, and it is the important one. The schedule.
No LTV or down payment minimum from MHDC
MHDC states its programs have no minimum LTV requirements and no maximum or minimum down payment requirements, and no minimum loan amounts; any LTV requirement is set by the master servicer or the purchasing agency, meaning Ginnie Mae, Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac.
So the down payment figure on your file comes from the product underneath, not from Missouri. Size the cash to close.
Frequently asked questions
What credit score do you need for MHDC in Missouri?
640 generally, and 660 for all manufactured home purchases. MHDC notes that lenders may set more restrictive minimums and that FICO limitations are established by the master servicer, US Bank, and are subject to change. A 640 score opens the program rather than guaranteeing approval, since income, ratio and the property still have to work.
What debt-to-income ratio does MHDC allow?
It depends on both the loan type and the score. On a government loan the maximum is 45% with a FICO of 640 to 679, rising to 50% at 680 or higher. On a conventional loan up to 50% is allowable with a score of 640 or higher. So conventional is the more forgiving route on ratio for a borrower scoring between 640 and 679.
Why is the MHDC credit minimum higher for manufactured homes?
MHDC sets 660 rather than 640 for all manufactured home purchases, a twenty-point step that applies regardless of loan type. Double-wide mobile homes are on MHDC's eligible property list, so this matters across outstate Missouri: a 645 score that works for a stick-built house does not work for a manufactured one.
Does MHDC assistance count against my debt-to-income ratio?
The second loan carries no monthly payment during its term, so it does not add a monthly obligation to your ratio the way an amortising second mortgage would. What it does add is a lien and a repayment obligation if you sell or refinance within ten years, with nothing forgiven during the first five. That is a planning consideration rather than a ratio one.
Does MHDC require a minimum down payment?
No. MHDC states that its programs have no minimum LTV requirements, no maximum or minimum down payment requirements and no minimum loan amounts. Any LTV requirement comes from the master servicer or from the purchasing agency, meaning Ginnie Mae, Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac, so the down payment on your file is set by the product underneath rather than by Missouri.
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. MHDC program terms, income limits and purchase price limits are set by the Missouri Housing Development Commission and change; figures here carry the date we verified them against MHDC's published documents. MHDC down payment assistance is a forgivable second loan, not a grant, and selling or refinancing inside ten years can require repaying all or part of it. Loans are subject to borrower and property qualification.