The Federal Housing Finance Agency sets a new conforming loan limit every year, and the number that applies to a San Diego County purchase is different from the national figure and different again from the figure in Los Angeles. For 2026, the conforming loan limit in San Diego County is $1,104,000 for a one-unit property.
That single number decides which financing box a purchase falls into. This article covers where the limit comes from, the full one- to four-unit figures for San Diego County, how the county compares with its neighbors, and what actually changes for a buyer once a loan crosses the line.
What a conforming loan limit is
Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are the two government-sponsored enterprises that buy mortgages from lenders. A loan they are permitted to buy is called a conforming loan. The conforming loan limit is the maximum loan amount eligible for that purchase, and the Federal Housing Finance Agency, which regulates both enterprises, sets it.
Three things are worth knowing about how the limit is built:
- It is reset annually. The Housing and Economic Recovery Act requires FHFA to adjust the baseline each year in line with its measure of average U.S. home price change.
- It is a county-level number. In counties where 115 percent of the local median home value exceeds the national baseline, the limit is higher. FHFA calls these high-cost areas.
- There is a hard ceiling. No county limit exceeds 150 percent of the baseline. That ceiling is what several California counties sit at.
For 2026, FHFA set the baseline at $832,750 for one-unit properties, an increase of $26,250 over 2025. The ceiling for high-cost areas is $1,249,125, which is 150 percent of the baseline. FHFA announced the 2026 values on November 25, 2025, and noted that limits rose in all but 32 U.S. counties or county equivalents.
San Diego County’s 2026 conforming loan limits
San Diego County is a high-cost area, so its limits sit above the national baseline. It is not at the ceiling, which matters when comparing San Diego with Los Angeles or Orange County.
| Property type | 2026 limit | 2025 limit | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| One unit | $1,104,000 | $1,077,550 | +$26,450 |
| Two units | $1,413,350 | $1,379,450 | +$33,900 |
| Three units | $1,708,400 | $1,667,450 | +$40,950 |
| Four units | $2,123,100 | $2,072,250 | +$50,850 |
The limit applies to the loan amount, not the purchase price. A buyer putting money down can purchase above the limit and still have a conforming loan, as long as the amount borrowed lands at or below it.
How San Diego County compares across Southern California
Loan limits do not follow state lines or metro nicknames. They follow counties, and neighboring counties can differ by hundreds of thousands of dollars.
| County | 2026 one-unit limit | Position |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles | $1,249,125 | At the national ceiling |
| Orange | $1,249,125 | At the national ceiling |
| San Diego | $1,104,000 | High-cost, below the ceiling |
| Ventura | $1,035,000 | High-cost, below the ceiling |
| Santa Barbara | $941,850 | High-cost, below the ceiling |
| Riverside | $832,750 | At the national baseline |
| San Bernardino | $832,750 | At the national baseline |
Two practical consequences follow from this table. A buyer comparing a Carlsbad property with a Long Beach property is working with two different limits. And a buyer looking east into Riverside County is working with the national baseline, which is $271,250 lower than San Diego County’s figure.
The county that governs is the county where the property sits. Where the buyer lives, works, or banks makes no difference.
Conforming, high-balance, and jumbo
Once you know the county limit, loans sort into three groups.
| Category | Loan amount | What it generally means |
|---|---|---|
| Conforming | At or below $832,750 | Meets the national baseline. The broadest set of program options. |
| High-balance conforming | Above $832,750, at or below $1,104,000 | Still eligible for purchase by the enterprises because San Diego County is a high-cost area. Pricing and guidelines can differ from a standard conforming loan. |
| Jumbo (non-conforming) | Above $1,104,000 | Outside enterprise purchase eligibility. Guidelines are set by individual lenders and investors and vary considerably. |
“High-balance” is industry shorthand for the middle group. It is a conforming loan. The label signals that the amount is above the national baseline and that lender guidelines for that tier may differ.
What actually changes when a loan crosses the limit
Crossing from conforming into jumbo is a change in which rulebook applies, and it tends to show up in a few places:
- Whose guidelines govern. Conforming loans follow enterprise guidelines. Jumbo loans follow the guidelines of the individual lender or investor holding the loan, and those differ from one lender to the next.
- Documentation depth. Jumbo underwriting is often more detailed on income, assets, and reserves. What is required depends on the specific program.
- Pricing structure. Costs are set by the market and the program. Ask for a written quote for both structures if your amount lands near the line.
- Reserve requirements. Jumbo programs frequently ask for more months of reserves. The amount varies by program and by borrower profile.
If your target loan amount is close to $1,104,000, the practical move is to price it both ways before you commit to a structure. A modest change in the amount borrowed can move a file from one rulebook to the other.
Common misunderstandings
- Treating the limit as a purchase price cap. It caps the loan, not the price of the home.
- Using the California figure. There is no single California limit. There are county figures, and they range from the national baseline to the national ceiling within Southern California alone.
- Assuming San Diego matches Los Angeles. It does not. Los Angeles and Orange counties sit at the ceiling. San Diego County sits below it.
- Assuming FHA and VA follow the same number. They do not. FHA sets its own county limits through HUD. VA-backed loans work through entitlement rules rather than a loan limit for borrowers with full entitlement. See the FHA loan page and the VA loan page for those programs.
- Assuming the limit means qualification. The limit governs loan eligibility for enterprise purchase. Whether a specific borrower qualifies is a separate question decided by underwriting.
- Using last year’s number. Limits reset annually. A 2025 figure quoted in 2026 is out of date by $26,450 in San Diego County.
Frequently asked questions
What is the 2026 conforming loan limit in San Diego County?
$1,104,000 for a one-unit property. For two units it is $1,413,350, for three units $1,708,400, and for four units $2,123,100. These are FHFA’s 2026 values for San Diego County.
Why is San Diego County’s limit higher than the national baseline?
FHFA sets a higher limit in areas where 115 percent of the local median home value exceeds the national baseline. San Diego County qualifies as one of those high-cost areas. The county figure is capped at 150 percent of the baseline, which is $1,249,125 for 2026.
Is San Diego County at the maximum California limit?
No. San Diego County’s 2026 one-unit limit is $1,104,000. Los Angeles and Orange counties are at the ceiling of $1,249,125.
What is a high-balance conforming loan?
It is a conforming loan above the national baseline of $832,750 but at or below the applicable county limit, which in San Diego County is $1,104,000. Lender guidelines and pricing for that tier can differ from a standard conforming loan.
What if I need to borrow more than $1,104,000?
That is a jumbo, or non-conforming, loan. Jumbo programs exist and are widely available in San Diego. Guidelines are set by individual lenders and investors rather than by the enterprises, so they vary. All financing is subject to underwriting approval.
Do these limits apply to refinances too?
Yes. The conforming loan limit applies to the loan amount, whether the loan is a purchase or a refinance.
Which county’s limit applies if I live in Riverside County and buy in San Diego County?
San Diego County’s limit applies, because the limit follows the location of the property being financed.
When do the 2026 limits take effect?
FHFA announced the 2026 conforming loan limit values on November 25, 2025, and they apply to loans in calendar year 2026. Confirm the applicable figure with your lender when you lock, since the limits reset each year.
