# Conforming loan limit

> The conforming loan limit is the largest mortgage Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac may buy. The 2026 baseline and high-cost figures and how FHFA updates them.

URL: https://mail.mortgage-math-us.com/glossary/conforming-loan-limit/  
Last reviewed: 2026-10-29 · By the MortgageMath US Editorial team

## Quick answer

**The conforming loan limit** is the maximum original loan amount Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac may buy, set each year by the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA). For 2026 it is $832,750 for a one-unit home in most counties and up to $1,249,125 in high-cost areas.

## Key facts

| Fact | Value | Source | As of |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 baseline, one-unit home | $832,750 | [FHFA](https://www.fhfa.gov/news/news-release/fhfa-announces-conforming-loan-limit-values-for-2026) | 2026 limit |
| 2026 high-cost ceiling, one-unit home | $1,249,125 | [FHFA](https://www.fhfa.gov/news/news-release/fhfa-announces-conforming-loan-limit-values-for-2026) | 2026 limit |
| 2025 baseline, one-unit home | $806,500 | [FHFA](https://www.fhfa.gov/news/news-release/fhfa-announces-conforming-loan-limit-values-for-2026) | 2025 limit |

## How FHFA sets the number

The Housing and Economic Recovery Act (HERA) ties the baseline to the change in average US home prices measured by FHFA. The 2026 baseline is $26,250 above the 2025 figure of $806,500, an increase of about 3.3%. Counties with high median home values get a higher limit, capped at 150% of the baseline. Alaska, Hawaii, Guam and the US Virgin Islands have their own higher limits, and limits for two- to four-unit properties are higher too.

## What the limit decides

A loan above your county’s limit is a [jumbo loan](https://mail.mortgage-math-us.com/glossary/jumbo-loan/), with each lender’s own rules and pricing. The cap is on the loan amount, not the price, so a larger down payment can keep a pricier home within it. Other programs borrow the figure: the 2026 [FHA loan](https://mail.mortgage-math-us.com/glossary/fha-loan/) floor of $541,287 is 65% of the baseline, and [VA entitlement](https://mail.mortgage-math-us.com/glossary/va-entitlement/) for buyers with a VA loan still outstanding is based on the county limit. The [jumbo loans guide](https://mail.mortgage-math-us.com/loan-types/jumbo-loans/) covers what changes above the line.

## Related terms

- [Conforming loan](https://mail.mortgage-math-us.com/glossary/conforming-loan/) and [conventional loan](https://mail.mortgage-math-us.com/glossary/conventional-loan/)

## Sources

- [FHFA](https://www.fhfa.gov/news/news-release/fhfa-announces-conforming-loan-limit-values-for-2026) — 2026 baseline conforming loan limit (one-unit); 2025 baseline conforming loan limit (one-unit); 2026 high-cost area conforming ceiling (one-unit) (2026 limit)
- [HUD](https://www.hud.gov/news/hud-no-25-145) — 2026 FHA loan limit floor (one-unit, low-cost areas) (2026 limit)
- [FHFA: Conforming loan limit values for 2026](https://www.fhfa.gov/news/news-release/fhfa-announces-conforming-loan-limit-values-for-2026)

_General information, not financial advice._