Summary: The maximum FHA loan limit size amounts for California have been increased for 2024 in response to rising home values in the U.S. The new limits range from $498,257 to $1,149,825.
This is good news for home buyers who are planning to use an FHA loan to buy a house in 2024. This policy change will give buyers a higher level of financing to work with, when compared to the (lower) 2023 limits.
Granted, it wasn’t a major increase. But in an expensive real estate market like California, every little bit helps. So this should come as a welcomed change for home buyers.
In 2024, the revised FHA loan limits for California will range from $498,257 to $1,149,825, depending on the county where the home is located. The $1,149,825 cap applies to the more expensive parts of the state, like Southern California and the Bay Area. See the table below for details.
California 2024 Maximum FHA Loan Limit Amounts
Here are the maximum FHA loan amounts for all 58 California counties in 2024:
| County | Loan Limit |
| ALAMEDA | $1,149,825 |
| ALPINE | $503,700 |
| AMADOR | $498,257 |
| BUTTE | $498,257 |
| CALAVERAS | $498,257 |
| COLUSA | $498,257 |
| CONTRA COSTA | $1,149,825 |
| DEL NORTE | $498,257 |
| EL DORADO | $763,600 |
| FRESNO | $498,257 |
| GLENN | $498,257 |
| HUMBOLDT | $498,257 |
| IMPERIAL | $498,257 |
| INYO | $508,300 |
| KERN | $498,257 |
| KINGS | $498,257 |
| LAKE | $498,257 |
| LASSEN | $498,257 |
| LOS ANGELES | $1,149,825 |
| MARIN | $1,149,825 |
| MARIPOSA | $498,257 |
| MONO | $693,450 |
| MONTEREY | $920,000 |
| NAPA | $1,017,750 |
| NEVADA | $644,000 |
| ORANGE | $1,149,825 |
| PLACER | $763,600 |
| PLUMAS | $498,257 |
| RIVERSIDE | $644,000 |
| SACRAMENTO | $763,600 |
| SAN BENITO | $1,149,825 |
| SAN BERNARDINO | $644,000 |
| SAN DIEGO | $1,006,250 |
| SAN JOAQUIN | $656,650 |
| SAN LUIS OBISPO | $929,200 |
| SAN MATEO | $1,149,825 |
| SANTA BARBARA | $838,350 |
| SANTA CLARA | $1,149,825 |
| SANTA CRUZ | $1,149,825 |
| SHASTA | $498,257 |
| SIERRA | $498,257 |
| SOLANO | $685,400 |
| SONOMA | $877,450 |
| SUTTER | $498,257 |
| TEHAMA | $498,257 |
| TULARE | $498,257 |
| TUOLUMNE | $498,257 |
| VENTURA | $954,500 |
| YOLO | $763,600 |
| YUBA | $498,257 |
Catching Up With Home Prices
In November of 2023, the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) published Mortgagee Letter 2023-21. This document announced that the federal housing department would be increasing the California FHA loan limits in 2024. In fact, the limits went up for most counties across the U.S.
This change was made in response to rising home values nationwide. But it didn’t start with HUD. Around that same time, the Federal Housing Finance Agency announced a similar increase for conventional conforming loans. HUD is simply following suit, in keeping with their official mandate.
According to the HUD press release that announced this change:
“Today, the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) is announcing new loan limits for calendar year 2024 for its Single Family Title II forward and Home Equity Conversion Mortgage (HECM) insurance programs. Loan limits for most of the country will increase in the coming year due to continued strong home price appreciation over the past year.”
In many parts of the country, home prices actually declined during the first few months of 2023. This was part of a nationwide real estate cooldown partly brought on by rising mortgage rates. But for the rest of that year, home prices in California and elsewhere across the country began to creep upward again.
This led to the increase in California FHA loan limits for 2024.
In California, the statewide median home value was around $750,000 at the start of 2024. But the FHA loan limits can vary from one county to the next, since home prices also vary by county. These limits are designed to give borrowers who use FHA loans sufficient financing range based on local home prices.
California Loan Limit FAQs
Borrowers who are considering the FHA loan program typically have a lot of questions about the requirements for this program. And that includes the maximum loan limits. Here are some straight answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about California FHA loan limits.
What’s the purpose of FHA loan limits?
Federal Housing Administration home loans are originated by mortgage lenders in the private sector but insured by the federal government. This insurance is designed to protect lenders from losses relating to mortgage default. By setting a maximum mortgage amount for the loans they are willing to insure, the FHA can also limit its exposure and risk.
Do they apply to all borrowers in California?
The California FHA loan limits shown in the table above only apply to borrowers who use an FHA-insured mortgage loan to buy a house. If you use a conventional mortgage product (i.e., one that does not receive government insurance backing), these limits do not apply to you. Conventional loans have their own “conforming” limits, which are established by the Federal Housing Finance Agency.
How are these limits determined?
The National Housing Act requires the FHA to set single-family mortgage loan limits at 115% of area median house prices for a particular jurisdiction, subject to a specified floor and a ceiling. The Federal Housing Administration calculates these limits by metropolitan area and county. That’s why they are generally the same across an entire metro area.