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California Conforming, FHA & VA Loan Limits by County

Posted by Tony Mariotti on Sunday, July 2, 2017 at 6:50 PM By Tony Mariotti / July 2, 2017 Comment

California Mortgage Limits

California Loan Limits

California Conventional Loan Limits

California conventional loans limits cap the size of mortgages so that they meet Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac guidelines. Those two government-sponsored entities (GSEs) buy mortgages and securitize them which in turn keeps the home financing market liquid. Most loans made between lenders and borrowers are ultimately delivered to Fannie or Freddie.

Loan limits are set by the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA), a division of HUD that regulates the GSEs. The FHFA monitors the House Price Index (HPI) in local real estate markets and revises the loan limits annually. Limits are set on a regional basis, by county within California. Conventional loans come in two flavors, conforming and non-conforming.

  • Conforming loans meet do not exceed conforming loan limits.
  • Non-conforming loans exceed FHFA’s conforming limits and are called jumbo loans.

For one-unit properties, the California conforming loan limits are:

  • $484,350 most counties
  • $726,525 in high-cost counties

California VA Loan Limits

California VA loan limits are identical to conventional/conforming loan limits. Most lenders will not make VA loans in amounts that exceed conforming limits. For one-unit properties in California, the VA typically guarantees 25% of a loan amount up to:

  • $484,350 most counties
  • $726,525 in high-cost counties

California FHA Loan Limits

FHA loan limits are set by Federal Housing Authority (FHA), another division of HUD. FHA loan limits are set on a county-by-county basis, based on median home prices in the area. To qualify for FHA mortgage insurance, loans must not exceed the cap. For one-unit properties, the FHA loan limits are:

  • $314,827 floor in low-cost areas,
  • 115% of median home prices in the county, or a maximum of
  • $726,525 ceiling in high-cost areas.

Conforming, VA and FHA Loan Limits by County

Below, you can find conforming, VA and FHA loan limits by county in California. The loan limit shown is for a single-family residence. Multi-family units (like duplexes) go higher.

County 1 Unit 2 Unit 3 Unit 4 Unit
ALAMEDA  $                   726,525  $                   930,300  $                1,124,475  $                1,397,400
ALPINE  $                   484,350  $                   620,200  $                   749,650  $                   931,600
AMADOR  $                   484,350  $                   620,200  $                   749,650  $                   931,600
BUTTE  $                   484,350  $                   620,200  $                   749,650  $                   931,600
CALAVERAS  $                   484,350  $                   620,200  $                   749,650  $                   931,600
COLUSA  $                   484,350  $                   620,200  $                   749,650  $                   931,600
CONTRA COSTA  $                   726,525  $                   930,300  $                1,124,475  $                1,397,400
DEL NORTE  $                   484,350  $                   620,200  $                   749,650  $                   931,600
EL DORADO  $                   552,000  $                   706,650  $                   854,200  $                1,061,550
FRESNO  $                   484,350  $                   620,200  $                   749,650  $                   931,600
GLENN  $                   484,350  $                   620,200  $                   749,650  $                   931,600
HUMBOLDT  $                   484,350  $                   620,200  $                   749,650  $                   931,600
IMPERIAL  $                   484,350  $                   620,200  $                   749,650  $                   931,600
INYO  $                   484,350  $                   620,200  $                   749,650  $                   931,600
KERN  $                   484,350  $                   620,200  $                   749,650  $                   931,600
KINGS  $                   484,350  $                   620,200  $                   749,650  $                   931,600
LAKE  $                   484,350  $                   620,200  $                   749,650  $                   931,600
LASSEN  $                   484,350  $                   620,200  $                   749,650  $                   931,600
LOS ANGELES  $                   726,525  $                   930,300  $                1,124,475  $                1,397,400
MADERA  $                   484,350  $                   620,200  $                   749,650  $                   931,600
MARIN  $                   726,525  $                   930,300  $                1,124,475  $                1,397,400
MARIPOSA  $                   484,350  $                   620,200  $                   749,650  $                   931,600
MENDOCINO  $                   484,350  $                   620,200  $                   749,650  $                   931,600
MERCED  $                   484,350  $                   620,200  $                   749,650  $                   931,600
MODOC  $                   484,350  $                   620,200  $                   749,650  $                   931,600
MONO  $                   529,000  $                   677,200  $                   818,600  $                1,017,300
MONTEREY  $                   652,050  $                   834,750  $                1,009,000  $                1,253,950
NAPA  $                   726,525  $                   930,300  $                1,124,475  $                1,397,400
NEVADA  $                   486,450  $                   622,750  $                   752,750  $                   935,500
ORANGE  $                   726,525  $                   930,300  $                1,124,475  $                1,397,400
PLACER  $                   552,000  $                   706,650  $                   854,200  $                1,061,550
PLUMAS  $                   484,350  $                   620,200  $                   749,650  $                   931,600
RIVERSIDE  $                   484,350  $                   620,200  $                   749,650  $                   931,600
SACRAMENTO  $                   552,000  $                   706,650  $                   854,200  $                1,061,550
SAN BENITO  $                   726,525  $                   930,300  $                1,124,475  $                1,397,400
SAN BERNARDINO  $                   484,350  $                   620,200  $                   749,650  $                   931,600
SAN DIEGO  $                   690,000  $                   883,300  $                1,067,750  $                1,326,950
SAN FRANCISCO  $                   726,525  $                   930,300  $                1,124,475  $                1,397,400
SAN JOAQUIN  $                   484,350  $                   620,200  $                   749,650  $                   931,600
SAN LUIS OBISPO  $                   667,000  $                   853,900  $                1,032,150  $                1,282,700
SAN MATEO  $                   726,525  $                   930,300  $                1,124,475  $                1,397,400
SANTA BARBARA  $                   625,500  $                   800,775  $                   967,950  $                1,202,925
SANTA CLARA  $                   726,525  $                   930,300  $                1,124,475  $                1,397,400
SANTA CRUZ  $                   726,525  $                   930,300  $                1,124,475  $                1,397,400
SHASTA  $                   484,350  $                   620,200  $                   749,650  $                   931,600
SIERRA  $                   484,350  $                   620,200  $                   749,650  $                   931,600
SISKIYOU  $                   484,350  $                   620,200  $                   749,650  $                   931,600
SOLANO  $                   494,500  $                   633,050  $                   765,200  $                   950,950
SONOMA  $                   704,950  $                   902,450  $                1,090,850  $                1,355,700
STANISLAUS  $                   484,350  $                   620,200  $                   749,650  $                   931,600
SUTTER  $                   484,350  $                   620,200  $                   749,650  $                   931,600
TEHAMA  $                   484,350  $                   620,200  $                   749,650  $                   931,600
TRINITY  $                   484,350  $                   620,200  $                   749,650  $                   931,600
TULARE  $                   484,350  $                   620,200  $                   749,650  $                   931,600
TUOLUMNE  $                   484,350  $                   620,200  $                   749,650  $                   931,600
VENTURA  $                   713,000  $                   912,750  $                1,103,350  $                1,371,150
YOLO  $                   552,000  $                   706,650  $                   854,200  $                1,061,550
YUBA  $                   484,350  $                   620,200  $                   749,650  $                   931,600


Alameda County includes cities of Oakland, Berkeley, Livermore, Fremont and Pleasanton.

Contra Costa County includes cities of Concord, Richmond, Antioch, San Ramon, Walnut Creek and Danville.

Fresno County includes cities of Fresno and Clovis.

Kern County includes city of Bakersfield.

Los Angeles County includes cities of Los Angeles, Long Beach, Glendale, Santa Clarita, Lancaster, Palmdale, Pomona, Torrance, Pasadena, El Monte, Downey, Inglewood, West Covina, Norwalk, Burbank, Santa Monica and Malibu.

Orange County includes cities of Anaheim, Santa Ana, Irvine, Huntington Beach, Garden Grove, Orange, Fullerton, Costa Mesa, Mission Viejo, Westminster, Newport Beach, Buena Park, Lake Forest and Tustin.

Riverside County includes cities of Riverside, Moreno Valley, Corona, Murrieta, Temecula, Jurupa Valley, Palm Springs and Palm Desert.

Sacramento County includes cities of Sacramento, Elk Grove, Citrus Heights, Folsom, Rancho Cordova and Carmichael.

San Bernardino County includes cities of San Bernardino, Fontana, Rancho Cucamonga, Ontario, Victorville, Rialto and Chino.

San Diego County includes cities of San Diego, Chula Vista, Oceanside, Escondido and Carlsbad.

San Joaquin County includes cities of Stockton, Tracy, Manteca and Lodi.

San Mateo County includes cities of San Mateo, Daly City and Redwood City.

Santa Clara County includes cities of San Jose, Sunnyvale, Santa Clara, Mountain View, Milpitas, Palo Alto and Cupertino.

Sonoma County includes city of Santa Rosa.

Stanislaus County includes cities of Modesto, Turlock and Ceres.

Ventura County includes cities of Oxnard, Thousand Oaks, Simi Valley and Ventura.

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