2026 Conforming Loan Limits: What Buyers in California, Florida, and Texas Need to Know

A home’s price is not the number that determines whether a mortgage is conforming. The key figure is the original loan amount. For 2026, the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) raised the baseline conforming loan limit for a one-unit property in most of the United States to $832,750, up $26,250 from 2025.

That national figure is only the starting point. Some counties have higher limits because local home values meet FHFA’s high-cost-area test. The property’s county and number of units matter. California’s 2026 limits vary widely, Monroe County is Florida’s only exception to the baseline, and every Texas county uses the baseline limit.

What is a conforming loan?

A conforming loan is a conventional mortgage whose size and other features meet standards that allow Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac to acquire it. FHFA sets the maximum loan amounts annually under federal law. “Conforming” does not mean that every loan below the limit is automatically eligible: the mortgage must still satisfy applicable underwriting, property, documentation, and program requirements.

A loan above the baseline limit but within the applicable high-cost county limit is commonly called a high-balance or super-conforming loan. Freddie Mac uses “super conforming,” while Fannie Mae refers to high-balance mortgage loans. These loans remain within the conforming system, although certain eligibility rules may differ from standard-balance loans.

A conventional loan above the applicable county limit is generally considered a jumbo loan. Jumbo financing is not eligible for purchase by Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac and follows the lender or investor’s own requirements. The loan amount, rather than the sales price or down payment alone, determines where the conforming category ends.

2026 limits at a glance

For most counties in the contiguous United States, the 2026 baseline limits are:

In designated high-cost areas, the one-unit limit can range above $832,750 up to the national high-cost ceiling of $1,249,125. The corresponding ceilings are $1,599,375 for two units, $1,933,200 for three units, and $2,402,625 for four units.

FHFA determines a high-cost limit when 115% of the local median home value exceeds the baseline limit. The local limit is tied to that median value but cannot exceed 150% of the baseline. Limits are published by county or county-equivalent area, and FHFA’s official county list should be checked for the property address.

How the limits apply in California

California does not have one statewide conforming limit. Many inland and lower-cost counties use the $832,750 one-unit baseline, including Riverside, San Bernardino, Sacramento, Fresno, Kern, Placer, and San Joaquin counties.

Several coastal and Bay Area counties use the maximum one-unit ceiling of $1,249,125. They include Alameda, Contra Costa, Los Angeles, Marin, Orange, San Benito, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, and Santa Cruz counties.

Other California counties fall between the baseline and ceiling. For example, the 2026 one-unit limits are:

• San Diego County: $1,104,000
• Ventura County: $1,035,000
• Napa County: $1,017,750
• San Luis Obispo County: $1,000,500
• Monterey County: $994,750
• Santa Barbara County: $941,850
• Sonoma County: $897,000

This is why a buyer should not assume that a limit quoted for Los Angeles, Orange County, or the Bay Area applies elsewhere in California.

How the limits apply in Florida and Texas

In Florida, nearly every county uses the $832,750 one-unit baseline for 2026. That includes Miami-Dade, Broward, Palm Beach, Orange, Hillsborough, Pinellas, Duval, Collier, and Sarasota counties. Monroe County is the exception, with a one-unit limit of $990,150. Buyers should still verify the county attached to the property rather than relying on a city or mailing address.

Every Texas county uses the 2026 baseline limit. That means the one-unit cap is $832,750 in major markets such as Harris, Dallas, Tarrant, Travis, Bexar, Collin, Denton, Fort Bend, and Williamson counties, as well as throughout the rest of the state.

Practical examples

Consider a $1 million one-unit home in Los Angeles County with a 15% down payment. The proposed loan would be $850,000. That exceeds the national baseline, but it is below Los Angeles County’s $1,249,125 limit, so the amount may fit a high-balance conforming loan, subject to all other eligibility requirements.

Now consider a $950,000 one-unit home in Texas with 10% down. The loan amount would be $855,000, which is $22,250 above the statewide conforming limit. A borrower might compare jumbo financing with a larger down payment or a lower purchase price. To bring that example down to the $832,750 limit, the down payment would need to be at least $117,250, excluding closing costs and other funds that may be due.

County differences can also change the answer within one state. A $1.05 million one-unit Florida purchase with 10% down produces a $945,000 loan. That amount is below Monroe County’s $990,150 limit but above the $832,750 limit applicable in Miami-Dade and every other Florida county.

What the higher 2026 limit means for borrowers

The increase allows a larger loan amount to remain within the conforming framework than in 2025, but it does not change the fundamentals of qualification. Lenders still evaluate factors such as income, assets, debts, credit history, occupancy, property type, appraisal, and the selected loan program. A loan below the county limit is not an approval. A loan above it may still be available as jumbo financing.

The limit should be reviewed early because it can affect the loan category a buyer compares, the down payment needed to target a particular category, and the documentation or reserve requirements that may apply. Buyers considering two- to four-unit properties should use the unit-specific limit rather than the one-unit figure. The conforming limits discussed here also should not be confused with FHA, VA, or USDA program rules and limits.

Empire of America serves homebuyers in California, Florida, and Texas. To review the limit for a specific property, compare available loan options, or check current rates, contact an Empire of America mortgage banker.