Conforming Loan Limits for 2026, and What Jumbo Means

The 2026 numbers

On November 25, 2025, the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) announced the conforming loan limits for mortgages Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac will buy in 2026.

The baseline rose $26,250 from 2025. FHFA said limits will be higher in all but 32 U.S. counties or county equivalents.

How the limits are set

The Housing and Economic Recovery Act (HERA) requires FHFA to adjust the baseline every year to reflect the change in the average U.S. home price. For 2026, FHFA's house price index showed prices up 3.26% on average between the third quarters of 2024 and 2025, so the baseline rose by the same percentage.

High-cost areas. Where 115% of the local median home value is above the baseline, the limit is higher. HERA sets those limits as a multiple of the area median, capped at 150% of the baseline. That is where the $1,249,125 ceiling comes from: 1.5 × $832,750.

Special areas. Separate statutory provisions set higher limits for Alaska, Hawaii, Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Conforming versus jumbo

A conforming loan is a conventional loan within the limit for its county that meets Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac standards. A jumbo loan is above the limit. Because Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac can't buy it, a jumbo loan is held by the lender or sold to other investors, and it often has its own rules for down payment, credit score and cash reserves. Rates can be higher or lower than conforming rates depending on the market.

Our payment calculator flags conventional loans above the 2026 baseline so you can check your county's limit.

Limits and other programs

• FHA sets its own county loan limits, published by HUD each year, which differ from conforming limits.
• FHA mortgage insurance. HUD Mortgagee Letter 2023-05 uses a base loan amount of $726,200 as the dividing line between its lower and higher annual MIP rates. That figure was the national conforming limit when the letter was issued.
• VA. The VA says borrowers with full entitlement don't have a VA loan limit, as long as they can afford the loan and the appraisal supports the price; the lender still has to approve the loan. With partial entitlement, the county conforming limit comes into play.

Multi-unit properties

Limits are higher for two- to four-unit properties. FHFA's county list shows the limits by number of units.

Why the limit matters for your budget

If your loan lands just above your county's limit, a slightly larger down payment can bring it back under and keep it conforming. Run both versions through the payment calculator and ask lenders to quote both: sometimes the jumbo pricing is close, sometimes it isn't. If you are near the line, also check the limit for the county the home is actually in, since neighboring counties in the same metro area can have different limits.

Keeping up to date

Limits change every January 1. FHFA usually announces the next year's figures in late November; the 2026 announcement came on November 25, 2025. This page shows the date its facts were last checked at the top. This guide is educational; your lender will confirm whether a loan is conforming.

Common questions

Where do I find my county's limit?

FHFA publishes a list and a map of 2026 limits for every county and county-equivalent area, linked from its announcement and its conforming loan limit page.

When are the 2027 limits announced?

FHFA announces the next year's limits after it publishes its third-quarter house price index, typically in late November. The 2026 limits were announced on November 25, 2025. We will update this page when the 2027 figures are out.

Does the limit apply to the price or the loan?

The loan amount. A $1,000,000 home with $200,000 down needs an $800,000 loan, which is under the 2026 baseline.