The 2026 conforming loan limit is $832,750 for a one-unit property in most U.S. counties, rising to $1,249,125 in designated high-cost areas. Those figures took effect January 1, 2026, after the Federal Housing Finance Agency announced them in November 2025.

The baseline rose $26,250 from $806,500 in 2025 — a 3.26% increase that mirrors the growth in average U.S. home prices between the third quarters of 2024 and 2025. Loan limits are recalculated annually against that measure, which is why they’ve risen every year since 2016.

2026 Conforming Loan Limits by Property Type

Property Type Baseline Limit High-Cost Ceiling
Single-family (1 unit) $832,750 $1,249,125
Duplex (2 units) $1,066,250 $1,599,375
Triplex (3 units) $1,288,800 $1,933,200
Fourplex (4 units) $1,601,750 $2,402,625

Alaska, Hawaii, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands operate under special statutory provisions. For one-unit properties, the baseline in those areas is $1,249,125 and the ceiling is $1,873,675.

How the Limits Are Calculated

Loan limits aren’t arbitrary. The Housing and Economic Recovery Act (HERA) requires FHFA to adjust them annually to track average U.S. home price changes, using a formula with three components:

  • The baseline rises by the same percentage as the FHFA House Price Index over the prior four quarters. For 2026, that was 3.26%.
  • County limits are set at 115% of the local median home value, rounded, wherever that figure exceeds the baseline.
  • The ceiling caps high-cost counties at 150% of the baseline — which is how $832,750 produces $1,249,125.

One consequence worth understanding: limits never decrease. HERA includes a floor provision preventing the baseline from falling even if home prices decline, which is why the figure has risen or held every year since the formula took effect.

Conforming vs. Jumbo: Why the Limit Matters

A loan at or below your county limit is conforming — eligible for purchase by Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac, which is what makes the secondary market work. Anything above it is a jumbo loan, held on a lender’s balance sheet or sold privately.

That distinction changes your terms:

Factor Conforming Jumbo
Down payment As little as 3% Typically 10%–20%
Credit score 620 minimum 700–740 typical
Cash reserves Often none required 6–12 months common
Debt-to-income Up to 45%–50% Usually capped near 43%
Rate Standard pricing Varies — sometimes above, sometimes below conforming

The strategic implication: if your purchase price puts you just over your county’s limit, increasing your down payment enough to bring the loan under it can move you into conventional underwriting — often a bigger improvement in terms than the extra cash costs you.

How FHA and VA Limits Relate

Both are calculated from the conforming limit, not independently.

FHA loan limits are set at 65% of the conforming baseline for the floor and 150% for the ceiling. For 2026 that produces a floor of $541,287 and a ceiling of $1,249,125, with $1,873,625 in special exception areas. See our FHA loan requirements guide.

VA loan limits work differently. Since the Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Act took effect January 1, 2020, borrowers with full entitlement face no VA loan limit at all and can purchase at any price with zero down, subject to lender approval. County limits apply only to partial entitlement — veterans with an active VA loan on another property or unrestored entitlement from a prior loan. See VA loan requirements.

Finding Your County’s Limit

Roughly 95% of U.S. counties use the baseline. The remainder — about 100 high-cost counties — fall somewhere between the baseline and the ceiling, calculated from local median values.

Counties at the $1,249,125 ceiling include the San Francisco Bay Area, Los Angeles and Orange counties, the Washington D.C. metro, the New York City metro including Westchester and Long Island, Nantucket and Dukes counties in Massachusetts, and Colorado resort counties such as Eagle, Pitkin, and Summit.

Many strong markets sit between the two figures — San Diego County, King County in Washington, and Boulder County in Colorado among them. Those county-specific numbers are recalculated annually from local median values and cannot be estimated from the national increase.

Look yours up directly: FHFA publishes the complete county list for all 1- to 4-unit properties at its Conforming Loan Limit Values Map. Your lender can confirm it in one call.

When the Next Limits Are Announced

FHFA announces the following year’s limits in late November, effective January 1. If you’re buying near the limit late in the year, that timing matters — a January closing may qualify under a higher limit than a December closing on the same property.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the conforming loan limit for 2026?

$832,750 for a one-unit property in most counties, and $1,249,125 in designated high-cost areas. Multi-unit limits run higher: $1,066,250 for two units, $1,288,800 for three, and $1,601,750 for four at the baseline. Alaska, Hawaii, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands use a $1,249,125 baseline with an $1,873,675 ceiling.

Why did the loan limit increase for 2026?

The Housing and Economic Recovery Act requires FHFA to adjust limits annually in line with average U.S. home price changes. Prices rose 3.26% between the third quarters of 2024 and 2025, so the baseline rose by the same percentage — from $806,500 to $832,750, an increase of $26,250.

What happens if my loan exceeds the conforming limit?

It becomes a jumbo loan, which Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac cannot purchase. Expect stricter underwriting: higher credit score minimums, larger down payments, documented cash reserves, and tighter debt-to-income limits. If you’re marginally over, increasing your down payment to fall under the limit often produces better overall terms.

Do conforming loan limits ever go down?

No. HERA includes a provision preventing the baseline from declining even when home prices fall. Limits have risen or held steady every year since the formula took effect.

Are FHA and VA loan limits the same as conforming limits?

FHA limits are derived from the conforming baseline — 65% for the floor, 150% for the ceiling — producing $541,287 and $1,249,125 for 2026. VA limits are different: veterans with full entitlement have no loan limit, and county limits apply only to partial entitlement.

Loan limits per the Federal Housing Finance Agency 2026 conforming loan limit announcement, effective January 1, 2026. FHA limits per HUD. Verify your specific county at fhfa.gov before relying on any figure. Updated August 18, 2026.

References: Conforming loan limit data sourced from FHFA announcement, November 25, 2025 (fhfa.gov). Freddie Mac PMMS rate data from the week of August 18, 2026.