Update: California conforming loan limits went up in 2017. Federal housing officials made this announcement on November 23, 2016. The table below has been fully updated to include the revised (increased) limits for all counties. You can also download the California conforming loan limits in this PDF document.
Most counties within California have a 2017 conforming loan limit of $424,100, for a single-family home. Higher-priced areas, like those in the San Francisco Bay Area, have conventional limits of up to $636,150. Other counties fall somewhere in between these “floor” and “ceiling” amounts. The table below shows 2017 conforming loan limits for all California counties.
2017 Conforming Loan Limits for All California Counties
The table below shows the 2017 conforming limits for all 58 counties in California, listed in alphabetical order. In this context, “1 unit” refers to a single-family home, “2 unit” refers to a duplex-style home with two separate residents, etc.
| County | 1 Unit | 2 Unit | 3 Unit | 4 Unit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ALAMEDA | $636,150 | $814,500 | $984,525 | $1,223,475 |
| ALPINE | $463,450 | $593,300 | $717,150 | $891,250 |
| AMADOR | $424,100 | $543,000 | $656,350 | $815,650 |
| BUTTE | $424,100 | $543,000 | $656,350 | $815,650 |
| CALAVERAS | $424,100 | $543,000 | $656,350 | $815,650 |
| COLUSA | $424,100 | $543,000 | $656,350 | $815,650 |
| CONTRA COSTA | $636,150 | $814,500 | $984,525 | $1,223,475 |
| DEL NORTE | $424,100 | $543,000 | $656,350 | $815,650 |
| EL DORADO | $488,750 | $625,700 | $756,300 | $939,900 |
| FRESNO | $424,100 | $543,000 | $656,350 | $815,650 |
| GLENN | $424,100 | $543,000 | $656,350 | $815,650 |
| HUMBOLDT | $424,100 | $543,000 | $656,350 | $815,650 |
| IMPERIAL | $424,100 | $543,000 | $656,350 | $815,650 |
| INYO | $424,100 | $543,000 | $656,350 | $815,650 |
| KERN | $424,100 | $543,000 | $656,350 | $815,650 |
| KINGS | $424,100 | $543,000 | $656,350 | $815,650 |
| LAKE | $424,100 | $543,000 | $656,350 | $815,650 |
| LASSEN | $424,100 | $543,000 | $656,350 | $815,650 |
| LOS ANGELES | $636,150 | $814,500 | $984,525 | $1,223,475 |
| MADERA | $424,100 | $543,000 | $656,350 | $815,650 |
| MARIN | $636,150 | $814,500 | $984,525 | $1,223,475 |
| MARIPOSA | $424,100 | $543,000 | $656,350 | $815,650 |
| MENDOCINO | $424,100 | $543,000 | $656,350 | $815,650 |
| MERCED | $424,100 | $543,000 | $656,350 | $815,650 |
| MODOC | $424,100 | $543,000 | $656,350 | $815,650 |
| MONO | $529,000 | $677,200 | $818,600 | $1,017,300 |
| MONTEREY | $575,000 | $736,100 | $889,800 | $1,105,800 |
| NAPA | $636,150 | $814,500 | $984,525 | $1,223,475 |
| NEVADA | $477,250 | $610,950 | $738,500 | $917,800 |
| ORANGE | $636,150 | $814,500 | $984,525 | $1,223,475 |
| PLACER | $488,750 | $625,700 | $756,300 | $939,900 |
| PLUMAS | $424,100 | $543,000 | $656,350 | $815,650 |
| RIVERSIDE | $424,100 | $543,000 | $656,350 | $815,650 |
| SACRAMENTO | $488,750 | $625,700 | $756,300 | $939,900 |
| SAN BENITO | $636,150 | $814,500 | $984,525 | $1,223,475 |
| SAN BERNARDINO | $424,100 | $543,000 | $656,350 | $815,650 |
| SAN DIEGO | $612,950 | $784,700 | $948,500 | $1,178,750 |
| SAN FRANCISCO | $636,150 | $814,500 | $984,525 | $1,223,475 |
| SAN JOAQUIN | $424,100 | $543,000 | $656,350 | $815,650 |
| SAN LUIS OBISPO | $586,500 | $750,800 | $907,550 | $1,127,900 |
| SAN MATEO | $636,150 | $814,500 | $984,525 | $1,223,475 |
| SANTA BARBARA | $625,500 | $800,775 | $967,950 | $1,202,925 |
| SANTA CLARA | $636,150 | $814,500 | $984,525 | $1,223,475 |
| SANTA CRUZ | $636,150 | $814,500 | $984,525 | $1,223,475 |
| SHASTA | $424,100 | $543,000 | $656,350 | $815,650 |
| SIERRA | $424,100 | $543,000 | $656,350 | $815,650 |
| SISKIYOU | $424,100 | $543,000 | $656,350 | $815,650 |
| SOLANO | $431,250 | $552,050 | $667,350 | $829,350 |
| SONOMA | $595,700 | $762,600 | $921,800 | $1,145,600 |
| STANISLAUS | $424,100 | $543,000 | $656,350 | $815,650 |
| SUTTER | $424,100 | $543,000 | $656,350 | $815,650 |
| TEHAMA | $424,100 | $543,000 | $656,350 | $815,650 |
| TRINITY | $424,100 | $543,000 | $656,350 | $815,650 |
| TULARE | $424,100 | $543,000 | $656,350 | $815,650 |
| TUOLUMNE | $424,100 | $543,000 | $656,350 | $815,650 |
| VENTURA | $636,150 | $814,500 | $984,525 | $1,223,475 |
| YOLO | $488,750 | $625,700 | $756,300 | $939,900 |
| YUBA | $424,100 | $543,000 | $656,350 | $815,650 |
For additional information and housing market commentary, continue reading below.
Terminology Guide for Borrowers
Not sure what these terms mean? Here’s a mini glossary of loan limit terminology:
Conforming: A “conforming” home loan is one that falls within the maximum size limits used by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. These caps are established by the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA). In short, if a California home loan falls within these conforming limits, it can be sold to Freddie and Fannie in the secondary mortgage market. Anything larger is considered a jumbo loan and cannot be sold into the secondary market. These limits vary by county (see table above).
Conventional: The term “conventional” is used to describe mortgage products that are not insured by the government. This distinguishes them from FHA and VA loans, which are insured or guaranteed by the federal government. California conventional home loans are originated and insured within the private sector, with no government backing.
Loan limit: This is the maximum borrowing amount within a certain mortgage loan category. For instance, the maximum amount for a conforming single-family home loan in San Diego County is $562,350. There are caps for other products as well, including FHA and VA mortgage programs. They vary by county and are based on median home prices.
Rising Prices Bring Higher Limits in 2017
At the end of 2016, federal housing officials increased the conforming loan limits for California, in response to rising home prices across the state (and elsewhere in the U.S.).
In a November 23 press release, the Federal Housing Finance Agency stated:
“In most of the country, the 2017 maximum loan limit for one-unit properties will be $424,100, an increase from $417,000. This will be the first increase in the baseline loan limit since 2006. In higher-cost areas, higher loan limits will be in effect.”
Disclaimers: This page includes California loan limits by county. It is based on information provided by the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA). The FHFA determines the maximum amount for loans that can be purchased by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. While we make every effort to ensure the accuracy of our website content, there is always a chance for human error. For the most current and accurate information available, please refer to www.FHFA.gov.