2026 FHA and conforming loan limits in California, county by county.
Loan limits decide how much you can borrow with FHA or conventional financing before you cross into jumbo territory. Here are the 2026 numbers for every major California county - including the Sacramento metro - and what they mean for your home search.
2026 limits by county (one-unit homes)
FHA and conforming (conventional) limits are set county by county each year. These are the 2026 one-unit limits, effective for FHA case numbers assigned on or after January 1, 2026:
| County | FHA limit | Conforming limit |
|---|---|---|
| Sacramento | $764,750 | $832,750 |
| Placer (Roseville, Rocklin) | $764,750 | $832,750 |
| El Dorado (Folsom area) | $764,750 | $832,750 |
| Yolo | $764,750 | $832,750 |
| San Diego | $1,104,000 | $1,249,125 |
| Los Angeles / Orange | $1,249,125 | $1,249,125 |
| San Francisco / San Mateo / Santa Clara | $1,249,125 | $1,249,125 |
| Lowest-cost CA counties | $541,287 | $832,750 |
The national FHA floor is $541,287 and the ceiling is $1,249,125. The conforming baseline announced by the FHFA for 2026 is $832,750. Multi-unit properties (2-4 units) have higher limits in every county - ask me for the exact figure if you're looking at a duplex or fourplex.
What $764,750 means in the Sacramento metro
Sacramento, Placer, El Dorado, and Yolo counties all share the same 2026 FHA limit of $764,750 - well above the national floor. In practical terms:
- With 3.5% down, that limit supports a purchase price of roughly $792,000 - which covers the large majority of homes selling in Sacramento, Roseville, Rocklin, and Folsom.
- If the home you want prices above that, you don't automatically need 20% down. A conforming loan at 3-5% down goes to $832,750, and jumbo options start above that.
- FHA limits apply to the loan amount, not the purchase price - a bigger down payment lets you buy above the limit with FHA.
Want to see the payment at these numbers? Run them in the mortgage calculator or check your buying power with the affordability calculator.
How the limits are set (and why they change)
Both FHA and the FHFA (which sets conforming limits) adjust annually based on home price data:
- FHA sets its floor at 65% of the conforming baseline and its ceiling at 150%. Counties land somewhere in between based on local median home prices.
- Conforming limits track the FHFA's House Price Index. For 2026 the baseline rose to $832,750.
- Limits almost never go down - when prices fall, limits stay flat until prices recover.
New limits are announced each November and take effect January 1. If you're shopping late in the year, an increase can expand what you qualify for in January.
Over the limit? Your options
Crossing a loan limit doesn't end the conversation - it just changes the program:
- FHA over $764,750 (Sacramento metro): move to a conforming conventional loan, which goes to $832,750 with as little as 3-5% down for qualifying buyers.
- Above $832,750: that's jumbo territory - typically 10-20% down, stronger credit requirements, and slightly different pricing.
- Eligible veterans: VA loans have no county loan limit for borrowers with full entitlement - zero down at any price.
Loan limits and down payment assistance
California's assistance programs have their own price and income caps that work alongside these loan limits. CalHFA programs, for example, set county-level income limits and sales price caps that are separate from the FHA limit - a home can be under the FHA limit but over a DPA program's price cap, or vice versa.
This is exactly the kind of stacking I work through with buyers every week: FHA limit, program price cap, income cap, and credit tier all have to line up. A 15-minute call sorts out which combination fits your situation.
Frequently asked questions
What is the FHA loan limit in Sacramento County for 2026?+
$764,750 for a one-unit home. Placer, El Dorado, and Yolo counties share the same limit. Two- to four-unit limits are higher.
What is the conforming loan limit in California for 2026?+
The baseline is $832,750 in most counties, including the Sacramento metro. High-cost counties like Los Angeles, Orange, and the Bay Area go up to the $1,249,125 ceiling.
Do FHA loan limits apply to the purchase price or the loan amount?+
The loan amount. With a larger down payment you can buy a home priced above the limit using FHA financing.
When do the 2026 loan limits take effect?+
FHA limits apply to case numbers assigned on or after January 1, 2026. Conforming limits apply to loans delivered to Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac in 2026.
What if the home I want is above the FHA limit?+
You have options: a conforming loan up to $832,750 with 3-5% down, a jumbo loan above that, or a VA loan with no county limit if you're an eligible veteran. Call me and I'll run the numbers for each.