Conventional Loan Limits for 2024: Complete List of New Limits

Conventional loan limits shoot past $1 million

In 2023, home price growth decelerated from the record pace of 2021 and 2022, but housing values increased 5.56%, according to the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA).

Luckily, loan limits are keeping pace with home price inflation. Starting January 1, 2024, new conforming loan limits will rise to $766,550 in most of the U.S. — up from $726,200 in 2023. The limit in high-cost areas will go from $1,089,300 to $1,149,825.

The increase will give borrowers potential access to larger amounts of financing, broadening their homeownership prospects.

In this article (Skip to...)

• 2024 Loan limits
• Loan limits map
• How loan limits work
• About conforming loans
• About jumbo loans
• FHA loan limits 2024
• Today’s mortgage rates

Conventional loan limits for 2024

Lending limits for conventional conforming loans got a sizable boost this year.

The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) determined that home prices rose by 5.56% on average across the nation through three quarters of 2023. Therefore, it raised conforming loan limits by the same percentage — a jump of $40,350 for the standard one-unit home. Multi-unit properties got similar increases.

Baseline conforming loan limits

Standard loan limits for 2024, which apply to the vast majority of the United States, are as follows:

• 1-unit homes: $766,550
• 2-unit homes: $981,500
• 3-unit homes: $1,186,350
• 4-unit homes: $1,474,400

Keep in mind that these are only the ‘baseline’ limits. In areas with high-cost real estate, buyers get significantly higher conventional mortgage limits.

Maximum conforming loan limits

High-balance conforming loan limits vary by county. Depending on location and local real estate prices, conforming loan limits can go as high as:

• 1-unit homes: $1,149,825
• 2-unit homes: $1,472,250
• 3-unit homes: $1,779,525
• 4-unit homes: $2,211,600

Areas such as San Francisco County, California; Arlington County, Virginia; and Richmond County, New York enjoy the maximum conforming loan limits, while typically expensive cities like Boston, Seattle, and San Diego fall between the standard and ceiling limits.

In Alaska, Hawaii, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands — which follow their own loan limit rules — the baseline loan limit for 2024 is also the maximum $1,149,825 for a one-unit property.

Conforming loan limits by county for 2024

The following map shows conforming loan limits by county. You can access an interactive version of the loan limits map on FHFA’s website.

How do mortgage loan limits work?

Loan limits determine the maximum amount you can borrow under certain mortgage programs. These caps can vary a lot depending on the type of mortgage loan you use and where you live.

Conventional mortgages adhere to one set of loan limits and FHA to another. VA loans essentially did away with limits in 2020.

In the world of conforming loans, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac limit “borrowable” amounts to keep their nationwide programs available to those who need them.

For instance, Fannie Mae doesn’t want a $10 million loan going through its system. That’s a lot of risk wrapped up in one transaction, and the agency would rather issue many smaller loans to many home buyers.

Fortunately, loan limits are increasing in 2024 to reflect rising home prices across the country.

What is a conforming loan?

A conventional conforming loan is any mortgage that:

1. Is not backed by the federal government (meaning it’s not an FHA, VA, or USDA loan)
2. Has a loan amount within local conforming loan limits
3. Meets lending guidelines set by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac

Mortgages within conforming loan limits are eligible to be backed by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, as long as the borrower meets basic criteria for credit score, income, down payment, and debt levels.

Conforming loan requirements

In addition to staying within local loan limits, borrowers have to meet financial requirements to get a conforming loan.

Conforming loans typically require: 

• A credit score of at least 620
• A debt-to-income ratio below 43%
• A down payment of at least 3%
• Two-year history of stable employment and income

Exact conforming loan requirements can vary by lender, but they all have to meet the minimum guidelines set by Fannie and Freddie.

These standards give lenders and investors more confidence in the loans they create. As a result, conforming loans are available with competitive mortgage rates and just 3% down payment.

What if my loan is over the conventional limit?

Remember that the conforming loan limit applies to the loan amount, not the home price.

For instance, say a buyer is purchasing a 1-unit home in Boulder, Colorado where the limit is $856,750. The home price is $1 million and the buyer is putting $400,000 down. They would be eligible for a conforming loan. The final loan amount is $600,000 — well within local loan limits for the area.

Still, many applicants will need financing above their local loan limit. This may require a different type of home loan.

Jumbo loans

The easiest way to get a mortgage above conventional loan limits is to use a jumbo loan. A “jumbo mortgage” is any home loan that exceeds local conforming limits.

Let’s say a home buyer in Boulder, CO puts down $100,000 on a $1 million home. In this case, their loan amount would be $900,000. That’s above the local conforming loan limit of $856,750. This buyer may need to finance their home purchase with a jumbo loan.

You might think jumbo mortgages would have higher interest rates, but that’s not always the case. Jumbo loan rates are often near or even below conventional mortgage rates.

The catch? It’s harder to qualify for jumbo financing. You’ll likely need a credit score above 700 and a down payment of at least 10-20%.

If you put down less than 20% on a jumbo home purchase, you’ll also have to pay for private mortgage insurance (PMI). This would increase your monthly payments and overall loan cost.

Piggyback financing for high-priced homes

Perhaps the most cost-effective method is to choose a piggyback loan. The piggyback or “80/10/10” loan is a type of financing in which a first and second mortgage are opened at the same time.

Typically, this structure is used to avoid private mortgage insurance.

A buyer can get an 80% first mortgage, 10% second mortgage (typically a home equity line of credit), and put 10% down. Here’s how it would work.

• Home price: $900,000
• Down payment: $90,000 (10%)
• Financing needed: $810,000
• Local conforming limit: $726,200

The buyer could structure their loan as follows.

• Down payment: $90,000
• 1st mortgage: $726,200
• 2nd mortgage: $83,000

The home is purchased with a bigger conforming loan and a smaller second mortgage. The first mortgage may come with better terms than a jumbo loan, and the second mortgage offers a great rate, too.

What’s the jumbo loan limit for 2024?

Technically there’s no jumbo loan limit for 2024.

Since jumbo mortgages are above the conforming loan limit, they’re considered “non-conforming” and are not eligible for lenders to sell to Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac upon closing.

That means the lenders offering jumbo loans are free to set their own criteria — including loan limits. For example, one lender might set its jumbo loan limit at $2 million, while another might set no limit at all and be willing to finance homes worth tens of millions.

But the amount you can borrow via a jumbo or non-conforming loan is limited by your finances.

You need enough income to make the monthly mortgage payments on your new home. And your debt-to-income ratio (including your future mortgage payment) can’t exceed the lender’s maximum.

You can use a mortgage calculator to estimate the maximum home price you can likely afford. Or contact a mortgage lender to get a more accurate number.

What are FHA loan limits for 2024?

FHA loans come with their own borrowing limits. These are set at 65% of the conforming loan limit. Like the Federal Housing Finance Agency, FHA allows for higher limits on 2-, 3-, and 4-unit properties, as well as extended limits in high-cost counties.

Standard (baseline) FHA loan limits for 2024 are as follows:

• 1-unit homes: $498,257
• 2-unit homes: $637,950
• 3-unit homes: $771,125
• 4-unit homes: $958,350

You might notice that FHA’s limits are considerably lower than the conforming limits. That’s by design.

The FHA program, backed by the Federal Housing Administration, is meant for home buyers with moderate incomes and credit scores.

But the FHA also suits home buyers in expensive counties. Single-family FHA loan limits reach $1,149,825 in expensive areas within the continental U.S. and $1,724,725 in Alaska, Hawaii, Guam, or the Virgin Islands.

What are today’s conventional mortgage rates?

Conventional loan rates can be a great deal for home buyers.

Conventional pricing is closely tied to your credit score and down payment — so if you have a strong financial profile, you could get a below-market interest rate.

Get a rate quote for your standard or high-limit conforming loan. Compare this to FHA rates, jumbo rates, and piggyback mortgage rates to make sure you’re getting the best value.