The conforming loan limit is the maximum mortgage size that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac will buy from lenders. Loans at or below the limit qualify for conforming pricing, which is typically the most competitive and widely available pricing on the market. Above the limit, you need a jumbo loan, which carries stricter underwriting.
The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) sets the limit every year based on national home-price data, and it's adjusted county by county — higher-cost areas get a higher limit than the national baseline.
How it works
For 2026, the FHFA set the baseline conforming loan limit at $832,750 for a single-family home in most U.S. counties, up from the prior year. High-cost counties — parts of California, the New York metro area, Washington DC, and Hawaii among them — have higher limits, up to a ceiling of $1,249,125 for a one-unit property. Multi-unit properties (2-4 units) have their own, higher tables.
Say a buyer in a standard-cost county is financing a $850,000 purchase. Because that loan amount is above the $832,750 baseline, it would need to be structured as a jumbo loan (or a smaller conforming loan plus a second lien) unless the property happens to sit in a high-cost county with a higher local limit.
Limits are published county by county — the exact number for any specific address should always be confirmed with a lender or the FHFA's published limit lookup rather than assumed from the national baseline alone.
When it matters to you
The conforming loan limit matters any time your purchase price is near the line — putting a little more down to stay under the limit can unlock materially better pricing and simpler underwriting than a jumbo loan.
It matters for refinances too: a cash-out refinance that pushes your new loan amount above the local limit shifts you into jumbo underwriting even if your original loan was conforming.
Common mistakes
- Assuming the national baseline applies everywhere — high-cost counties have meaningfully higher limits, and using the wrong number can misjudge what loan type you need.
- Not checking whether a slightly larger down payment would keep the loan under the local limit and avoid jumbo underwriting altogether.
- Forgetting that multi-unit properties (duplex, triplex, fourplex) have their own higher limit tables, not the single-family number.
- Assuming last year's limit still applies — the FHFA updates limits annually, so always confirm the current year's figure before relying on it.
FAQs
What is the 2026 conforming loan limit?
The FHFA set the 2026 baseline at $832,750 for a single-family home in most counties, with a high-cost-area ceiling of $1,249,125. Your specific county may fall anywhere between those two figures.
How do I find the limit for my county?
The FHFA publishes an official county-by-county limit lookup each year. Your loan officer can also confirm the exact figure for the property address you're considering.
What happens if my loan amount is above the limit?
You'll need a jumbo loan, which typically requires stronger credit, larger reserves, and full income documentation compared to a conforming loan of the same size.