FHA Loan Limits 2026 Calculator
Find out if your 2026 home purchase fits within FHA loan limits. Enter county type and unit count to see the maximum FHA-insurable loan amount for your area.
What Are FHA Loan Limits for 2026?
FHA loan limits are the maximum mortgage amount the Federal Housing Administration will insure. For 2026, the baseline 1-unit limit in low-cost counties is $524,225, and the ceiling in high-cost counties is $1,209,750 (HUD Mortgagee Letter 2025-24). Alaska, Hawaii, Guam, and the US Virgin Islands have a special exception ceiling of $1,814,625. Limits are higher for 2-4 unit properties (duplex, triplex, fourplex).
The actual limit in your county is determined by HUD using 115% of the area median home price, subject to the national floor and ceiling. Look up your county at hud.gov's FHA Mortgage Limits page. Source: HUD.gov FHA Mortgage Limits 2026. Last updated: May 2026.
2026 FHA Loan Limit Table by Unit Count
| Property Type | Low-cost Floor | High-cost Ceiling | Special (AK/HI) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1-unit (single-family) | $524,225 | $1,209,750 | $1,814,625 |
| 2-unit (duplex) | $671,200 | $1,548,975 | $2,322,720 |
| 3-unit (triplex) | $811,275 | $1,872,225 | $2,808,000 |
| 4-unit (fourplex) | $1,008,300 | $2,326,875 | $3,489,950 |
FHA vs Conventional: When to Choose FHA in 2026
FHA loans are best when (1) your FICO is 580-680 and you need 3.5% down, (2) you have non-traditional credit or recent credit events (FHA allows 2-year-post-bankruptcy and 3-year-post-foreclosure), or (3) you're using gift funds for the entire down payment. Conventional is better when your FICO is 700+ and you can put 5-20% down — you'll avoid lifetime mortgage insurance.
Critical FHA cost: mortgage insurance premium (MIP) runs for the life of the loan if you put down less than 10%. Even if your home equity reaches 20%, you cannot remove FHA MIP — you must refinance to conventional. This is the single biggest reason buyers refinance out of FHA once their credit and equity improve.
How to Increase Your FHA Approval Odds
FHA approval depends on three pillars: debt-to-income ratio (max 43% typical, 50% with compensating factors), FICO score (580+ for 3.5% down), and reserves (1-3 months of mortgage payments in savings post-closing). Manufactured home FHA loans require additional title 1 chattel rules. Multi-unit FHA loans require owner-occupancy of at least one unit for at least 12 months. Source: HUD Handbook 4000.1.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the FHA loan limit for 2026?
The 2026 FHA loan limit baseline for 1-unit homes in low-cost counties is $524,225. The ceiling in high-cost counties is $1,209,750. Special exception areas (Alaska, Hawaii, Guam, US Virgin Islands) have a higher 1-unit limit of $1,814,625. These figures come from HUD Mortgagee Letter 2025-24, effective January 1, 2026.
Does the FHA loan limit count my down payment?
No. The FHA loan limit applies to the maximum loan amount FHA will insure \u2014 the dollar amount of the mortgage itself, not the home price. If a home costs $600,000 and the FHA limit is $524,225, you would need to bring at least $75,775 to closing as down payment to fit within the limit (plus your 3.5% minimum on the loan portion).
How do I find the FHA limit for my specific county?
Visit hud.gov's FHA Mortgage Limits page and search by state and county. Most US counties use the low-cost floor of $524,225 for 1-unit homes. About 200 high-cost counties (mostly coastal metros \u2014 San Francisco, Los Angeles, NYC, DC, Boston, Seattle) have limits between the floor and $1,209,750 ceiling.
Are FHA loan limits higher for duplex, triplex, and fourplex?
Yes. For 2026 in low-cost counties: 2-unit $671,200, 3-unit $811,275, 4-unit $1,008,300. In high-cost counties the 4-unit ceiling reaches $2,326,875. This makes FHA particularly powerful for house-hacking \u2014 buying a 2-4 unit property, living in one, and renting the others.
Can I get an FHA loan above the limit?
No. FHA insurance is capped at the published limit for your county. If you need a larger mortgage, your options are (1) increase down payment to bring loan size below limit, (2) split into FHA first plus conventional second/HELOC, or (3) use conventional or jumbo financing instead. Limits adjust annually each January 1.
What is FHA mortgage insurance premium (MIP) for 2026?
Upfront MIP is 1.75% of the loan amount (typically rolled into the loan). Annual MIP is 0.50%-0.55% of the loan balance for most 30-year FHA loans with under 10% down, paid monthly. With 10%+ down, annual MIP drops to 0.20%-0.45% depending on loan size. Source: HUD Mortgagee Letter 2024-23 and FHA Single Family Handbook 4000.1.