Whether your California mortgage is a conforming loan or a jumbo loan depends on the loan amount and the county. For 2026, the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) set the baseline limit for a one-unit home at $832,750, and the ceiling in high-cost areas at $1,249,125, which is 150% of the baseline.
2026 one-unit limits in selected California counties
| County | Conforming limit |
|---|---|
| Los Angeles, Orange | $1,249,125 |
| San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara | $1,249,125 |
| Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin | $1,249,125 |
| Santa Cruz, San Benito | $1,249,125 |
| San Diego | $1,104,000 |
| Ventura | $1,035,000 |
| Riverside, San Bernardino, Sacramento | $832,750 |
A loan at or below your county's limit can be sold to Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac. A loan above it is a jumbo loan, which banks and private investors hold under their own guidelines, usually with stricter credit and cash-reserve requirements.
Jumbo rates are running slightly lower
In the Mortgage Bankers Association's survey for the week ending October 2, 2026, the average 30-year fixed rate was 7.39% for jumbo loans and 7.49% for conforming loans. Jumbo rates have often been at or below conforming rates in recent years, partly because the borrowers are typically strong and lenders compete for them.
Averages are not your rate. Your pricing depends on your credit, down payment, reserves and the lender, so it is worth pricing a loan both ways when you are near your county's limit.
If your loan is just above the limit
- Price it both ways. Compare a conforming loan with a little more down against a jumbo loan with your planned down payment.
- Check reserves. Jumbo loans often ask for more months of reserves in the bank after closing.
- Watch for the 2027 limits. FHFA usually announces next year's limits in late November. If home prices kept rising, the limits will too.
I am a licensed loan officer in California and Georgia. If you are buying near the limit in your county, send me your numbers and I will price it both ways.
