The full explanation
It is set every year with their regulator, the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA), and it is higher in high-cost counties. A loan may go over the limit, but then it is called a jumbo loan. The CFPB notes that a jumbo loan may cost more to get than a conforming loan, and it must meet special requirements to count as a Qualified Mortgage (QM).
An example
Patricia wants to buy in a county where homes are very expensive. The amount she needs to borrow is above her county's conforming limit, so the lender tells her about a jumbo loan. She compares its total cost with other options before deciding.
With real numbers
Computed with official data for the whole U.S. In your county the numbers may differ.
- Jumbo above, in most counties
- $832,750
- Jumbo above, in the costliest areas
- $1,299,500
In 3,066 of the 3,222 counties, a loan of more than $832,750 for a one-unit home is already jumbo. In the most expensive areas, the loan has to go above $1,299,500 to be jumbo.
Computed with: Conforming loan limits (FHFA) (2026)
You will see it in…
- Your county page, next to the conforming loan limit
- FHFA's conforming loan limit table
- Lender offers for higher-priced homes
