Three Conforming Limits in One State
Program and regulatory figures verified September 25, 2026. Details change; confirm your scenario with us.
Most states run two conforming limits. Massachusetts runs three, and the county with the famous summer houses is not the one you would guess.
The three tiers
| Limit | Counties | Metro |
|---|---|---|
| $1,249,125 | Dukes | CBSA 47240, Vineyard Haven |
| $1,249,125 | Nantucket | CBSA 34880 |
| $962,550 | Essex, Middlesex, Norfolk, Plymouth, Suffolk | CBSA 14460, Boston |
| $832,750 | Barnstable, Berkshire, Bristol, Franklin, Hampden, Hampshire, Worcester | seven separate metros |
The middle tier is the unusual part
Across this build round most states are binary: counties sit either at the $832,750 national baseline or at the $1,249,125 ceiling. Massachusetts has five counties at $962,550, a genuine intermediate figure.
That matters practically because it is easy to mis-assume in either direction. A Boston-area buyer who assumes the baseline will think they are jumbo sooner than they are; one who assumes the high-cost ceiling will think they have $286,575 more room than they do.
Cape Cod at the baseline, the islands at the maximum
Barnstable County is Cape Cod. Its 2026 one-unit conforming limit is $832,750, the same figure that applies in Berkshire and Hampden counties at the other end of the state.
Dukes County and Nantucket County, a short ferry ride away, carry $1,249,125. The gap is $416,375.
Nothing about that reflects a judgment on Cape Cod prices, which are high. Conforming limits are calculated per metropolitan statistical area, and the islands are their own metros while Barnstable is another. The water is what separates the two figures.
What that does when you lay prices next to it
| Metro | Typical value, Aug 2026 | Limit | Headroom |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vineyard Haven | $1,557,691 | $1,249,125 | Over by $308,566 |
| Barnstable Town | $762,442 | $832,750 | $70,308 |
| Boston | $733,574 | $962,550 | $228,976 |
| Worcester | $479,429 | $832,750 | $353,321 |
The Vineyard has the highest limit in Massachusetts and the least use for it: the typical home there is already $308,566 past it, so the median purchase is a jumbo transaction. Cape Cod has the lowest limit in that table and about $70,308 of room on a market rising 2.4% a year.
Why the line matters beyond loan size
Because it decides which rulebook governs the home you are leaving.
Inside agency financing, Fannie Mae B3-3.8-05, dated 09/02/2026, is published and consistent: the departing-residence offset is gross rent times 75% less that property's PITIA, leases are not permitted as income documentation, and six months of reserves apply under 12 months of property management experience.
Above the limit those become investor-specific, usually with deeper reserves, and some investors will not remove the departing payment until the sale actually funds. On an island market with seasonal sale timing, that is a meaningful tightening. See the islands page, the Cape Cod page and the structures page.
Frequently asked questions
What is the conforming loan limit on Martha's Vineyard?
$1,249,125 on one unit for 2026 in Dukes County, the same as Nantucket County. Both are their own metropolitan areas and carry the highest limit in Massachusetts.
What is the conforming loan limit in the Boston metro?
$962,550 on one unit across Essex, Middlesex, Norfolk, Plymouth and Suffolk counties, CBSA 14460. That is a middle tier: $129,800 above the national baseline and $286,575 below the island limit.
Why is Cape Cod at the baseline loan limit?
Because conforming limits are calculated per metropolitan statistical area rather than by local prices. Barnstable County is its own metro at the $832,750 national baseline, while Dukes and Nantucket are separate metros at $1,249,125, a gap of $416,375.
Which Massachusetts counties are at the national baseline?
Seven: Barnstable, Berkshire, Bristol, Franklin, Hampden, Hampshire and Worcester, each in its own metropolitan area at $832,750.
Does crossing the conforming limit change how my old home is treated?
Yes. Inside agency financing the departing-residence rules in Fannie Mae B3-3.8-05 are published and consistent. Above the limit, individual investors set their own, usually with deeper reserves, and some will not remove the departing payment until the sale funds.
Mike Certo · NMLS #260555 · Cornerstone First Mortgage NMLS #173855 · Equal Housing Lender. Educational content about financing, not a loan commitment and not legal, tax, or real estate advice. The Massachusetts surtax threshold is set by the Commonwealth and indexed annually, and whether a home sale reaches it depends entirely on your facts; your CPA, your closing attorney, and your real estate agent each handle their own part. Loans are subject to borrower and property qualification.