The table below shows the 2022 FHA loan limits for all counties in California. These limits apply to mortgage loans that are insured by the Federal Housing Administration (FHA), which is part of HUD. This government backing makes them different from conventional or “regular” home loans.
2022 FHA Loan Limits for California Counties
Note: The 2022 California FHA loan limits are shown below. The “1-family” column applies to regular single-family homes. The other three columns to the right of that apply to multi-family homes (“2-family” refers to duplex-style properties with two different residences, and so on).
| County | 1-Family | 2-Family | 3-Family | 4-Family |
| ALAMEDA | $970,800 | $1,243,050 | $1,502,475 | $1,867,275 |
| ALPINE | $463,450 | $593,300 | $717,150 | $891,250 |
| AMADOR | $420,680 | $538,650 | $651,050 | $809,150 |
| BUTTE | $420,680 | $538,650 | $651,050 | $809,150 |
| CALAVERAS | $420,680 | $538,650 | $651,050 | $809,150 |
| COLUSA | $420,680 | $538,650 | $651,050 | $809,150 |
| CONTRA COSTA | $970,800 | $1,243,050 | $1,502,475 | $1,867,275 |
| DEL NORTE | $420,680 | $538,650 | $651,050 | $809,150 |
| EL DORADO | $675,050 | $864,200 | $1,044,600 | $1,298,200 |
| FRESNO | $420,680 | $538,650 | $651,050 | $809,150 |
| GLENN | $420,680 | $538,650 | $651,050 | $809,150 |
| HUMBOLDT | $420,680 | $538,650 | $651,050 | $809,150 |
| IMPERIAL | $420,680 | $538,650 | $651,050 | $809,150 |
| INYO | $431,250 | $552,050 | $667,350 | $829,350 |
| KERN | $420,680 | $538,650 | $651,050 | $809,150 |
| KINGS | $420,680 | $538,650 | $651,050 | $809,150 |
| LAKE | $420,680 | $538,650 | $651,050 | $809,150 |
| LASSEN | $420,680 | $538,650 | $651,050 | $809,150 |
| LOS ANGELES | $970,800 | $1,243,050 | $1,502,475 | $1,867,275 |
| MADERA | $420,680 | $538,650 | $651,050 | $809,150 |
| MARIN | $970,800 | $1,243,050 | $1,502,475 | $1,867,275 |
| MARIPOSA | $420,680 | $538,650 | $651,050 | $809,150 |
| MENDOCINO | $506,000 | $647,750 | $783,000 | $973,100 |
| MERCED | $420,680 | $538,650 | $651,050 | $809,150 |
| MODOC | $420,680 | $538,650 | $651,050 | $809,150 |
| MONO | $563,500 | $721,400 | $872,000 | $1,083,650 |
| MONTEREY | $854,450 | $1,093,850 | $1,322,200 | $1,643,200 |
| NAPA | $897,000 | $1,148,350 | $1,388,050 | $1,725,050 |
| NEVADA | $609,500 | $780,250 | $943,150 | $1,172,150 |
| ORANGE | $970,800 | $1,243,050 | $1,502,475 | $1,867,275 |
| PLACER | $675,050 | $864,200 | $1,044,600 | $1,298,200 |
| PLUMAS | $420,680 | $538,650 | $651,050 | $809,150 |
| RIVERSIDE | $562,350 | $719,900 | $870,200 | $1,081,450 |
| SACRAMENTO | $675,050 | $864,200 | $1,044,600 | $1,298,200 |
| SAN BENITO | $970,800 | $1,243,050 | $1,502,475 | $1,867,275 |
| SAN BERNARDINO | $562,350 | $719,900 | $870,200 | $1,081,450 |
| SAN DIEGO | $879,750 | $1,126,250 | $1,361,350 | $1,691,850 |
| SAN FRANCISCO | $970,800 | $1,243,050 | $1,502,475 | $1,867,275 |
| SAN JOAQUIN | $563,500 | $721,400 | $872,000 | $1,083,650 |
| SAN LUIS OBISPO | $805,000 | $1,030,550 | $1,245,700 | $1,548,100 |
| SAN MATEO | $970,800 | $1,243,050 | $1,502,475 | $1,867,275 |
| SANTA BARBARA | $783,150 | $1,002,600 | $1,211,900 | $1,506,100 |
| SANTA CLARA | $970,800 | $1,243,050 | $1,502,475 | $1,867,275 |
| SANTA CRUZ | $970,800 | $1,243,050 | $1,502,475 | $1,867,275 |
| SHASTA | $420,680 | $538,650 | $651,050 | $809,150 |
| SIERRA | $420,680 | $538,650 | $651,050 | $809,150 |
| SISKIYOU | $420,680 | $538,650 | $651,050 | $809,150 |
| SOLANO | $614,100 | $786,150 | $950,300 | $1,181,000 |
| SONOMA | $764,750 | $979,000 | $1,183,400 | $1,470,700 |
| STANISLAUS | $460,000 | $588,850 | $711,800 | $884,600 |
| SUTTER | $420,900 | $538,800 | $651,300 | $809,450 |
| TEHAMA | $420,680 | $538,650 | $651,050 | $809,150 |
| TRINITY | $420,680 | $538,650 | $651,050 | $809,150 |
| TULARE | $420,680 | $538,650 | $651,050 | $809,150 |
| TUOLUMNE | $420,680 | $538,650 | $651,050 | $809,150 |
| VENTURA | $851,000 | $1,089,450 | $1,316,900 | $1,636,550 |
| YOLO | $675,050 | $864,200 | $1,044,600 | $1,298,200 |
| YUBA | $420,900 | $538,800 | $651,300 | $809,450 |
It’s important for borrowers to realize that California FHA loan limits are reviewed annually can can change from one year to the next. They can change across the board, for the entire state, or on a county-by-county basis.
For most counties in California, the 2022 FHA loan limits were increased from 2021 due to rising home values. The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) typically makes those announcements toward the end of the year, introducing revised limits for the following calendar year.
See also: Conforming limits for California
Minimum Loan Requirements and Other Information
Do you have questions about FHA loan requirements in California? Keep reading below. Here’s an overview of the minimum requirements and criteria for borrowers who wish to apply for this unique mortgage program:
Down payment: Home buyers who want to use an FHA loan to buy a house anywhere in the state must put down at least 3.5% of the purchase price or appraised value (whichever is less).
Credit scores: Borrowers must have a credit score of at least 500 to participate in this program. A score of 580 or higher is necessary to be eligible for the 3.5% down payment mentioned above. Borrowers with scores between 500 and 579 must put down at least 10%. (Note: Those are the official HUD credit-score requirements for California FHA loans. Mortgage lenders can impose their own criteria as well.)
Debt ratios: HUD also has requirements and limits for the borrower’s debt-to-income ratio. But these criteria are a bit more relaxed, compared to the down payment and credit score requirements above. The maximum debt-to-income ratio for most California FHA loan borrowers is 43%. But it can be as high as 50% for some borrowers, if there are compensating factors to offset the higher debt level.
Payment capacity: You must have sufficient income to cover your monthly mortgage payments, along with your other recurring debts such as credit cards and car payments. This is arguably one of the most important requirements for FHA loans in California, and for obvious reasons. It prevents you from getting in over your head, financially. It also reduces risk for the lender. The mortgage lender will measure your payment capacity by reviewing your current income, assets and debts (primarily).
Where to Learn More
This is just a basic overview of California FHA loan limits and requirements in 2022. To learn more about this government-backed mortgage program, we recommend visiting FHAhandbook.com.
You can also refer to HUD Handbook 4000.1 (the Single-Family Housing Policy Handbook), which is available online. This is the official guide to FHA loan requirements and criteria, the one used by mortgage lenders. You can find it on the Department of Housing and Urban Development website with a quick Google search.