County FHA loan limit lookup
The 2026 FHA loan limit is the maximum insured first mortgage for a county, published by HUD and calculated from the area's median home price. Select a state and county below to see the one- to four-unit limits, the FHFA conforming limit and the HUD area median price the county figure is derived from.
Quick answer: What is the loan limit where you're buying?
FHA one-unit limits are set county by county each year and cap the first mortgage an assistance second sits behind. In lower-cost counties the national floor applies; in high-cost metros the limit is far higher. Look up your county before you set a price range, because the limit binds before most program price caps do.
TL;DR
- Limits are county-level and reset annually.
- The first-mortgage limit constrains what assistance can help you buy.
Quick questions
- Do assistance programs use the same limit?
- No — agencies publish their own purchase-price caps, which are often lower than the FHA limit.
Published Last updated
- Reviewed September 2026
Look up your county loan limit
Choose a state and county to see the 2026 FHA loan limits published by HUD, the conforming limit set by FHFA, and the HUD area median price used to derive the county ceiling.
Loading the county limit table…
FHA figures are the published 2026 limits from the HUD CHUMS forward-limit file (refreshed automatically); the 2026 conforming figure is from the FHFA conforming limit announcement. They are reference limits, not a loan approval, a rate quote or a commitment to lend. Program purchase-price limits are set separately by each housing finance agency and are often lower than the FHA limit shown here.
For informational and illustrative purposes only.
The figures produced here are estimates generated from the numbers you entered. They are not a loan offer, pre-approval, approval, commitment to lend, rate quote or rate lock, and they do not guarantee any loan term, payment or amount of assistance. Your actual figures depend on lender underwriting, program rules, property, credit profile and the pricing available on the day you lock.
This estimate excludes property taxes, homeowners insurance, mortgage insurance, HOA dues, closing costs unless the tool states otherwise, so your real monthly cost and cash to close will be higher.
Simply Approved Mortgages LLC | NMLS #2620881 | Florida Mortgage Broker License #MBR7685 | Colorado Mortgage Company Registration | Equal Housing Opportunity. Residential mortgage loans are arranged in Florida and Colorado only.
How county loan limits are set
FHA loan limits are calculated from the median home price in each county's metropolitan area. HUD sets a national floor that applies wherever 115% of the local median falls below it, and a ceiling that applies where 115% of the local median exceeds it. Counties in between get a limit equal to 115% of their area median price, rounded to the published figure.
Because the calculation follows the local market, a limit can rise sharply in a fast-appreciating county and stay flat for years in a stable one. Limits are published for one-, two-, three- and four-unit properties, and the multi-unit figures matter to buyers using assistance on a duplex they intend to occupy.
Why the limit matters to an assistance file
An assistance file has to clear three separate ceilings, and buyers are usually only aware of one of them. The first mortgage has to fit inside the FHA or conforming limit for the county. The purchase price has to fit inside the program's own maximum. Household income has to fit inside the program's income cap for that county and household size.
The binding constraint is rarely the loan limit. In most Florida and Colorado counties the program purchase-price limit is the number that decides what you can shop for, which is why our county pages publish both.
- FHA county loan limit — caps the insured first mortgage.
- Conforming loan limit — caps a Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac first mortgage.
- Program purchase-price limit — set by the housing finance agency, often lower than both.
- Program income limit — measured by county and household size, and the most common disqualifier.
- Property type — the unit count changes the limit and sometimes the program eligibility.
Reading the numbers in the lookup
The one-unit figure is the one most buyers need. The two-, three- and four-unit figures apply to small multifamily purchases where you will occupy one unit; assistance programs vary widely on whether they permit that at all.
The HUD area median price shown alongside the limits is the figure the county calculation is derived from. Where a county's limit equals the national floor, the area median price sits below the level at which the formula would raise it.
The metro area line tells you which market HUD grouped the county into. Counties inside a large metro share the metro's limit, which is why a rural county on the edge of a major market can carry a much higher limit than its own prices would suggest.
Loan limit questions
What is the FHA loan limit in my county?
It depends on the county's area median home price. HUD publishes a floor that applies in most of the country and a ceiling that applies in high-cost counties, with counties in between set at 115% of their median price. Use the lookup above to see the published one-to-four-unit limits for any U.S. county for 2026.
Is the FHA loan limit the same as the down payment assistance purchase-price limit?
No, and confusing the two is the most common budgeting mistake we see. The FHA limit caps the first mortgage. The assistance program sets its own maximum purchase price, published by the housing finance agency, and it is frequently lower than the FHA limit for the same county.
What is the difference between the FHA limit and the conforming limit?
The FHA limit is set by HUD and applies to FHA-insured loans. The conforming limit is set by FHFA and applies to loans eligible for purchase by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. In most counties the conforming limit is higher; in high-cost counties both are set against the same statutory ceiling calculation.
How often do loan limits change?
Annually. HUD and FHFA publish new limits late in the calendar year, effective for case numbers assigned or loans closed on or after January 1. We refresh the county table from the official HUD file each cycle and date the change on our data sources page.
Can down payment assistance be used on a loan at the county limit?
Sometimes, but usually not. Assistance programs cap the purchase price separately and often cap it well below the FHA ceiling, so a home priced at the county loan limit can be outside the program even though the first mortgage would be eligible.
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See your own numbers
Free tools using current stored limits and your inputs. Estimates are educational, not loan offers.
- County loan limit finderLook up the current FHA and conforming limit for your county.Open tool
- DPA calculatorEstimate how assistance could change your cash to close.Open tool
- Eligibility checkAnswer a few questions to see which program types may fit.Open tool
Want a personalized quote?
Buying in Florida or Colorado? Request a scenario review from a licensed mortgage broker.
October 2026 County Loan Limits Review
We reviewed HUD CHUMS annual forward loan-limit file, FHFA conforming loan limit announcement and HUD area median price figures by county relevant to this page. No material changes requiring substantive revisions were identified this month. The information and sources shown here remain current as of our latest review.
- Checked: HUD CHUMS annual forward loan-limit file
- Checked: FHFA conforming loan limit announcement
- Checked: HUD area median price figures by county
This page's scheduled monthly review is overdue. The section above reflects our latest completed review, not a new one for the current month.
Current data & page updates
- Page last reviewed
- September 27, 2026
- Page last substantively updated
- September 27, 2026
- Next scheduled review
- October 27, 2026
- Current monthly review
- October 2026
- Live data feed
- No
This page is past its scheduled review date and is queued for the next review cycle.
Licensing & Disclosures
Simply Approved Mortgages LLC | NMLS #2620881
Florida Branch Office (Miami, FL) | Branch NMLS #2688012
Florida Mortgage Broker License #MBR7685 | Colorado Mortgage Company Registration
Business Phone: (877) 813-7219
Equal Housing Opportunity
Broker identification. Simply Approved Mortgages LLC is a mortgage broker and is not a direct lender. We arrange residential mortgage loans with third-party lenders and do not make the lender's final credit decision or fund the loan. We arrange residential mortgage loans in Florida and Colorado.
Down payment assistance programs. Down payment and closing-cost assistance programs listed or referenced on this site may be administered by third parties, including state housing finance agencies, cities, counties, Federal Home Loan Banks, nonprofit organizations, lenders, and other program sponsors. Simply Approved Mortgages LLC does not administer, control, fund, or guarantee third-party assistance unless expressly stated otherwise.
Listing or displaying a program does not constitute an offer of that program, a representation that funding is currently available, or a determination that a borrower or property qualifies. Program availability, funding, assistance amounts, income limits, purchase-price limits, credit requirements, occupancy requirements, geographic restrictions, homebuyer education requirements, participating-lender requirements, repayment terms, and other eligibility criteria vary by program and may change or become unavailable without notice. Eligibility and current program terms must be confirmed for the particular transaction.
Types of assistance. Down payment or closing-cost assistance may be structured as a grant, forgivable loan, deferred-payment loan, repayable second mortgage or other form of assistance. Assistance structured as a lien or secondary financing may be subject to repayment, forgiveness, occupancy, resale, refinance, or other conditions. Assistance should not be considered "free money" unless the applicable program documents expressly provide that the assistance is a grant with no repayment obligation.
Receiving or potentially qualifying for down payment assistance does not guarantee mortgage approval, guarantee receipt of assistance, or necessarily eliminate all funds that a borrower may be required to contribute to a transaction.
Credit and program terms. All loans are subject to lender credit approval, underwriting, acceptable appraisal, title review, insurance, and supporting documentation. Eligibility, programs, rates, APRs, points, fees, payments, terms, loan amounts, down-payment requirements, and availability may vary based on borrower, property, occupancy, credit profile, loan-to-value ratio, debt-to-income ratio, lender, assistance program, and location and may change without notice. Not all borrowers, properties, products, or programs will qualify or be available in every location. Nothing on this site constitutes a loan approval, rate lock, offer, commitment to lend, guarantee of assistance, or guarantee of closing.
Rates, payments and calculators. Rates, APRs, payments, down payments, estimated assistance amounts, affordability, home prices, closing costs, savings, and other calculator or scenario results displayed on this site are estimates or illustrations unless expressly stated otherwise. Actual eligibility, assistance, and loan terms may differ. Taxes, homeowners insurance, mortgage insurance, association dues, lender charges, broker compensation, discount points, third-party charges, and other costs may apply. Advertised rates, payments, APRs, down payments, and other credit terms are subject to the assumptions and disclosures presented with the applicable advertisement.
Government affiliation. Simply Approved Mortgages LLC is not a government agency and is not affiliated with, acting on behalf of, sponsored by, or endorsed by HUD, FHA, VA, USDA, any housing finance agency, or any other federal, state, or local government agency. References to government agencies, housing authorities, assistance programs, data, forms, or resources are provided for informational purposes and do not imply sponsorship or endorsement of Simply Approved Mortgages LLC.
Fair lending. Equal Housing Opportunity. Simply Approved Mortgages LLC conducts business in accordance with applicable federal and state fair-housing and equal-credit-opportunity laws and does not discriminate on any prohibited basis.
No professional advice. Content on this site is educational and general in nature and is not legal, tax, accounting, financial, or investment advice. Borrowers should review the applicable program documents and consult qualified professionals regarding their individual circumstances.