Marietta, GA

Down payment assistance in Marietta, GA

The City of Marietta adds a $10,000 or $15,000 grant for its own employees who buy inside city limits, on top of the Cobb County down payment program.

Who qualifies for Marietta's employee grant?

Marietta's program is built for people who work for the city. The City of Marietta Employee Grant pays $10,000 to full-time employees of the City of Marietta, the Marietta Board of Lights & Water and Marietta City Schools, and $15,000 to Marietta public safety employees, which covers Marietta Police and Fire. You need at least 12 months of full-time service, and the home has to be inside Marietta city limits.

The grant is not a standalone program. It rides on the Cobb County Down Payment Assistance Program, so you take a 30-year fixed FHA, VA or Freddie Mac HFA Advantage loan through a participating Cobb lender. That base program gives a non-repayable grant of 1% or 2% of the loan amount, does not require first-time buyer status, and does not put a lien on the home. Credit score minimums run from 640 to 680 depending on loan type, debt-to-income limits run 45% to 50%, and you must move in within 60 days. Income can reach $159,880 on the FHA, VA and higher-income HFA Advantage options. If you use HFA Advantage, homebuyer education is required, and the 0% grant option comes with a lower rate if you would rather keep the interest cost down.

Marietta City Schools is a separate system from the Cobb County School District, and only Marietta City Schools staff get the city grant. Cobb County government employees have their own $10,000 county add-on instead. Teachers in either district can also look at Georgia Dream PEN; the Cobb County guide explains the $625,000 metro Atlanta price limit that applies here.

Run by the city of Marietta

City of Marietta Employee Grant

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City of Marietta (Cobb County)

For: City of Marietta employees, Board of Lights & Water employees and Marietta City Schools employees ($10,000); City of Marietta public safety employees ($15,000); 12+ months full-time
Amount: $10,000 or $15,000 additional grant
Kind: Grant, nothing to repay

Home must be inside Marietta city limits; used with the Cobb County DPA first mortgage. Covers Marietta Police/Fire and Marietta City Schools teachers.

Last checked November 2026 · our sources

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County help that Marietta buyers can use

Cobb County Down Payment Assistance Program (Cobb My Home DPA)

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Cobb County

For: Any qualified buyer purchasing anywhere in Cobb County
Amount: Grant of 1% or 2% of the note amount (0% option with lower rate)
Kind: Grant, nothing to repay
Income cap: $159,880 (FHA, VA, Freddie Mac HFA Advantage above 80% AMI); $90,800 (HFA Advantage at or below 80% AMI) - effective May 2025
Price cap: No price limit stated; max loan $688,850 FHA / $806,500 VA and Freddie Mac HFA Advantage
First-time buyers only?: No
Also required: 30-year fixed FHA/VA/Freddie Mac HFA Advantage first mortgage via participating lender; min FICO 640-680 by loan type, DTI 45-50%; occupy within 60 days; homebuyer education for HFA Advantage; non-repayable grant with no lien

Latest guide revised Aug 27, 2025. Consumer pages: cobbcounty.org and georgiabuyerdpa.com/cobb. Employee add-ons listed under occupation_specific.

Last checked November 2026 · our sources

Read our full write-up Check whether I fit

Help from the state

On top of the city options, Marietta buyers can look at 2 statewide programs, Georgia Dream PEN among them. Browse all Georgia programs or let the program matcher sort them.

The county guide for this city: Cobb County.

Homebuyer classes near Cobb

Nearly every assistance program asks you to finish a homebuyer class before you close. It is usually friendlier than people expect. Here are HUD-approved agencies near Cobb County that teach the class or meet with buyers one on one:

Agency	City	How far	What they offer	Languages	How you meet
Operation Hope, Inc	Atlanta	16 mi	homebuyer education class, pre-purchase counseling	English, Spanish	Face to Face, Phone, Internet
Center for Pan Asian Community Services, Inc	Atlanta	17 mi	homebuyer education class, pre-purchase counseling	English	Phone
Resources for Residents and Communities of Georgia, Inc.	Atlanta	18 mi	homebuyer education class, pre-purchase counseling	English	Phone
Metro Fair Housing Services, Inc.	Atlanta	19 mi	homebuyer education class, pre-purchase counseling	English	Face to Face, Phone, Internet
D&E, A Housing & Economic Empowerment Center, Inc. (D&E Group)	East Point	20 mi	homebuyer education class, pre-purchase counseling	English	Face to Face, Phone, Internet

From HUD's list of housing counseling agencies. Programs differ on which classes they accept.

Which class will count for you? Ask the lender. Someone who works with Georgia programs knows which class your program takes, and can begin your pre-approval during the same conversation. Find me a lender

Questions from Marietta buyers

Does the Marietta grant work outside city limits?

No. The home must be inside Marietta city limits.

Do Marietta City Schools teachers qualify?

Yes. Marietta City Schools employees with 12 or more months of full-time service can get the $10,000 grant.

Do I have to use the Cobb County program?

Yes. The Marietta grant is used with the Cobb County Down Payment Assistance first mortgage.