A 3.6% increase in the conforming loan limits for 2026 raised the baseline loan limit for a single unit to $832,750 in most counties in the United States.
The adjustment is a result of a change in the average price of a home nationwide from the third quarter of 2024 to the third quarter of 2025. Home prices increased an average of 3.6%, and the baseline conforming loan limit kept pace.
Conforming loans may be cheaper than nonconforming loans like jumbo mortgages, but jumbo loans have their place.
Table of Contents
Key Points
• For 2026, the conforming loan limit for one-unit properties in most of the U.S. is set at $832,750.
• In high-cost areas, the limit for a one-unit property reaches $1,249,125, while in parts of Hawaii it reaches $1,299,500.
• Staying within these limits enables buyers to secure lower-cost mortgages.
• Loans within these limits can be acquired by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
• This arrangement reduces risk for lenders and lowers costs for consumers.
Conforming Loan Limits for 2026
The conforming loan limits set by the Federal Housing Finance Agency can vary based on area and the number of units in the property.
In most counties, that number increased to $832,750 in 2026 for a one-unit property. In most high-cost areas, the limit is $1,249,125 for a one-unit property.
In general, here’s how the baseline conforming loan limits break down for 2026.
Maximum baseline loan limit for 2026
| Units | Many counties in the contiguous states, District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico | Alaska, portions of Hawaii, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands |
| 1 | $832,750 | $1,249,125 |
| 2 | $1,066,250 | $1,599,375 |
| 3 | $1,288,800 | $1,933,200 |
| 4 | $1,601,750 | $2,402,625 |
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Why Care About Conforming Loan Limits?
Staying under a conforming loan limit means you’ll most likely obtain a lower-cost mortgage. Mortgages that “conform” to the limits can be acquired by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, government-sponsored enterprises.
Because these mortgages can be bought by the agencies and then sold to investors on the secondary mortgage market, they represent a lower risk to the lender and a lower cost to the consumer.
If you need to finance more than the conforming limit, you’ll need to look at jumbo mortgage loans.
Getting a jumbo loan involves clearing more hurdles than a conforming loan. The rate will usually be similar to conforming loan rates, but sometimes it can be lower. How jumbo can a loan be for a primary residence, second home, or investment property? It’s up to each lender.
Government-backed mortgages are also nonconforming loans, and although they serve certain homebuyers, they also may be more expensive than conforming conventional loans because they usually come with additional fees.
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Notable Counties Above the Standard Loan Limits
Loan limits are higher in counties where the average home price is above 115% of the local median home value. The loan ceiling is 150% of the baseline value.
For 2026, the high-cost-area loan limit increased from $1,209,750 to $1,249,125 on a one-unit property. Alaska, portions of Hawaii, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands also have a baseline loan limit of $1,249,125. Two counties in Hawaii, Kalawao and Maui, have a still higher limit of $1,299,500.
The following is a chart of counties (and some cities) in high-cost areas with an increased baseline loan limit. The increased amount for high-cost areas maxes out at $1,249,125 in select areas.
| State | County | 2025 limit for a single unit | 2026 limit for a single unit | % change year over year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska | All | $1,209,750 | $1,249,125 | 3% |
| California | Los Angeles County, San Benito, Santa Clara, Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Orange, San Francisco, San Mateo | $1,209,750 | $1,249,125 | 3% |
| California | Napa | $1,017,750 | $1,017,750 | 0% |
| California | Monterey | $970,600 | $994,750 | .025% |
| California | San Diego | $1,077,550 | $1,104,000 | .025% |
| California | Santa Barbara | $913,100 | $941,850 | .031% |
| California | Santa Cruz | $1,178,750 | $1,249,125 | .06% |
| California | San Luis Obispo | $967,150 | $1,000,500 | .034% |
| California | Sonoma | $897,000 | $897,000 | 0% |
| California | Ventura | $1,017,750 | $1,035,000 | .017% |
| California | Yolo | $806,500 | $832,750 | .033% |
| Colorado | Eagle | $1,209,750 | $1,249,125 | 3% |
| Colorado | Garfield, Pitkin | $1,209,750 | $1,209,750 | 0% |
| Colorado | Lake | $806,500 | $1,092,500 | 35% |
| Colorado | San Miguel | $994,750 | $994,750 | 0% |
| Colorado | Boulder | $862,500 | $879,750 | 2% |
| Colorado | Adams, Arapahoe, Bloomfield, Clear Creek, Denver, Douglas, Elbert, Gilpin, Jefferson, Park | $833,750 | $862,500 | 3% |
| Colorado | Grand | $874,000 | $883,200 | 1% |
| Colorado | Moffatt | $806,500 | $1,089,050 | 35% |
| Colorado | Summit | $1,067,200 | $1,092,500 | 2% |
| Colorado | Routt | $1,012,000 | $1,089,500 | 8% |
| Connecticut | Greater Bridgeport Planning Region | $851,000 | $977,500 | 15% |
| Connecticut | Western Connecticut Planning Region | $806,500 | $977,500 | 21% |
| Connecticut | Naugatuck Valley Planning Region | $806,500 | $851,000 | 6% |
| Florida | Monroe | $967,150 | $990,150 | 2% |
| Guam | All | $1,209,750 | $1,249,125 | 3% |
| Hawaii | Hawaii, Honolulu, Kauai | $1,209,750 | $1,249,125 | 3% |
| Hawaii | Kalawao, Maui | $1,209,750 | $1,299,500 | 3% |
| Idaho | Teton | $1,209,750 | $1,249,125 | 3% |
| Maryland | Calvert | $1,209,750 | $1,209,750 | 0% |
| Maryland | Charles, Frederick, Montgomery, Prince George’s County | $1,209,750 | $1,249,125 | 3% |
| Massachusetts | Dukes, Nantucket | $1,209,750 | $1,249,125 | 3% |
| Massachusetts | Essex, Middlesex, Norfolk, Plymouth, Suffolk | $914,250 | $962,550 | 5% |
| New Hampshire | Rockingham, Strafford | $914,250 | $962,550 | 5% |
| New Jersey | Bergen, Essex, Hudson, Hunterdon, Middlesex, Monmouth, Morris, Ocean, Passaic, Somerset, Sussex, Union | $1,209,750 | $1,209,750 | 0% |
| New York | Bronx, Kings, Nassau, New York, Putnam, Queens, Richmond, Rockland, Suffolk, Westchester | $1,209,750 | $1,209,750 | 0% |
| Pennsylvania | Pike | $1,209,750 | $1,209,750 | 0% |
| Tennessee | Hickman | $806,500 | $1,209,250 | 5% |
| Tennessee | Macon, Maury, Robertson, Rutherford, Smith, Sumner, Trousdale, Williamson, Wilson | $989,000 | $1,209,250 | 0% |
| Utah | Summit, Wasatch | $1,149,825 | $1,150,000 | 0% |
| Utah | Wayne | $997,050 | $997,050 | 0% |
| Virgin Islands | All | $1,209,750 | $1,249,125 | 3% |
| Virginia | Arlington, Clarke, Culpeper, Fairfax, Fauquier, Loudoun, Prince William, Rappahannock, Spotsylvania, Stafford, Warren, Alexandria City, Fairfax City, Falls Church City, Fredericksburg City, Manassas City, Manassas Park City | $1,209,750 | $1,249,125 | 3% |
| Virginia | Madison | $1,209,750 | $1,209,750 | 0% |
| Washington | King, Pierce, Snohomish | $1,037,300 | $1,063,750 | 3% |
| Washington D.C. | District of Columbia | $1,209,750 | $1,249,125 | 3% |
| West Virginia | Jefferson County | $1,209,750 | $1,249,125 | 3% |
| Wyoming | Teton | $1,209,750 | $1,249,125 | 3% |
Will Conforming Loan Limits Rise or Fall?
The baseline conforming loan limit is adjusted each year to reflect the change in the average home value and local housing trends in the United States.
The conforming loan limit has increased steadily for the past 10 years and has never declined. From 2006 to 2016, for example, the conforming loan limit remained at $417,000, despite declining home values across the country. If home values continue to rise, the conforming loan limit will also rise.
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Conforming Loan Limits Over the Past 10 Years
The 3.6% increase in loan limits for 2026 is lower than the previous year’s increase of 5.2% and far lower than the 18% increase of 2022, which was the largest jump in the past 40 years. But it still represents an average increase of $26,250 over the past year alone.
Conforming loan limit
| Year | Amount |
| 2026 | $832,750 |
| 2025 | $806,500 |
| 2024 | $806,500 |
| 2023 | $726,200 |
| 2022 | $647,200 |
| 2021 | $548,250 |
| 2020 | $510,400 |
| 2019 | $484,350 |
| 2018 | $453,100 |
| 2017 | $424,100 |
| 2016 | $417,000 |
| 2015 | $417,000 |
The Takeaway
Conforming loan limits help to keep costs low for homebuyers. This means competitive pricing on mortgages, no matter what the housing market looks like each year.
Looking for an affordable option for a home mortgage loan? SoFi can help: We offer low down payments (as little as 3% - 5%*) with our competitive and flexible home mortgage loans. Plus, applying is extra convenient: It's online, with access to one-on-one help.
FAQ
Is a conforming loan a good thing?
Yes, generally speaking, staying under a conforming loan limit means you’ll most likely obtain a lower-cost mortgage.
Is a conforming loan the same as a conventional loan?
A conforming loan and a conventional loan are not the same thing, although many conventional loans are also conforming loans. A conventional loan is one that is not backed by a government agency such as the Federal Housing Administration. It might come from a private lender such as a bank. A conforming loan is one in which the underlying terms and conditions adhere to the funding criteria, including loan amount limits, spelled out by Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae. Conventional loans can be conforming. Those that do not follow the conforming loan limits are considered “jumbo” loans.
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