California · FIPS 06087

2026 loan limits in Santa Cruz County, California

The 2026 conforming loan limit for a one-unit home in Santa Cruz County is $1,249,125, which is the high-cost ceiling. The 2026 FHA limit is $1,249,125 (a high-cost FHA area).

$1,249,125Conforming, 1 unit (2026)+$70,375 (+6.0%) vs 2025
$1,249,125FHA, 1 unit (2026)+$39,375 (+3.3%) vs 2025
$1,249,125VA, partial entitlement basisFull entitlement: no limit
1 of 58Rank in Californiaby one-unit conforming limit

How much home do these limits cover?

Change any value. Results update as you type. Payments are principal and interest only; taxes, insurance and mortgage insurance are extra.

Property type

Down payment (%)

Interest rate (%)

Default: Freddie Mac PMMS 30-year average, week of October 29, 2026.

Term (years)

Largest loan and home price before you need a jumbo or non-FHA loan
Program	Loan limit	Max price at your down payment	Payment at the limit
Conforming (2026)	$1,249,125	$1,387,917	$8,513/mo
FHA (2026)	$1,249,125	$1,387,917	$8,513/mo

VA loan: remaining entitlement

VA entitlement already in use ($)

Enter 0 if you have full entitlement. Your Certificate of Eligibility shows this number.

Remaining entitlement

Full entitlement

Largest $0-down VA loan

No VA loan limit applies

VA formula: 25% × the 2026 one-unit conforming limit ($1,249,125) − entitlement in use. Lenders often cap $0-down loans at 4× remaining entitlement (VA Circular 26-25-10).

Santa Cruz County loan limits by number of units
Property	Conforming 2026	Conforming 2025	Change	FHA 2026	FHA 2025
1 unit	$1,249,125	$1,178,750	+$70,375 (+6.0%)	$1,249,125	$1,209,750
2 units	$1,599,375	$1,509,050	+$90,325 (+6.0%)	$1,599,375	$1,548,975
3 units	$1,933,200	$1,824,050	+$109,150 (+6.0%)	$1,933,200	$1,872,225
4 units	$2,402,625	$2,266,900	+$135,725 (+6.0%)	$2,402,625	$2,326,875

How Santa Cruz County compares

California median one-unit conforming limit: $832,750 across 58 counties. This county is above the state median.
National baseline for 2026: $832,750; high-cost ceiling: $1,249,125. This county is $416,375 above the baseline.
HUD area: Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA (CBSA 42100). Median sale price HUD used to set the 2026 FHA limit: $1,100,000.

Sources

Federal Housing Finance Agency, 2026 Conforming Loan Limit Values, full county list (CSV), file dated November 24, 2025; announced November 25, 2025.
FHFA 2025 county list (CSV), file dated September 15, 2025.
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, CY2026 FHA forward mortgage limits file, dated December 10, 2025; Mortgagee Letter 2025-23, December 11, 2025. Search tool: HUD FHA Mortgage Limits.
HUD CY2025 FHA limits file, dated March 6, 2025.
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, VA Circular 26-25-10, December 1, 2025; VA home loan limits.
Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey, 30-year fixed average for the week of October 29, 2026: 7.24%.

Figures are copied from the files above without modification. Program rules can change mid-year; confirm with your lender.

All California counties · How these limits are set