Sixty-Six Counties, Then Pike
Program and regulatory figures verified September 25, 2026. Details change; confirm your scenario with us.
Pennsylvania has one loan limit and one exception. Neither is likely to be the thing that shapes your move.
The map
Sixty-six of Pennsylvania's sixty-seven counties carry the $832,750 national baseline one-unit conforming limit for 2026. That list includes every major market: Philadelphia, Allegheny, Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery, Lancaster, York, Dauphin and Lehigh.
Pike County, in the far northeast, is the single exception at $1,209,750 under CBSA 25770. The gap between Pike and the rest of Pennsylvania is $377,000.
And the headroom is wide everywhere
| Metro | Typical value, Aug 2026 | Headroom under $832,750 |
|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia | $389,524 | about $443,226 |
| Lancaster | $387,889 | about $444,861 |
| Scranton | $235,727 | about $597,023 |
Philadelphia is Pennsylvania's largest market and its typical home is worth less than half the conforming ceiling. Nothing in the state comes close to the limit at typical prices.
Why it still matters that you stay under
Not for loan size. For the rulebook.
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 a conforming limit, individual investors set their own terms, usually with deeper reserves, and some will not remove the departing payment from the ratio until the sale actually funds. Pennsylvania buyers get the published version by default. See the structures page.
What actually shapes a Pennsylvania file
The transfer tax count and the debt-to-income ratio. With the limit off the table and every Pennsylvania metro rising as of August 2026, those two are the real conversation.
See the transfer tax page, qualifying without selling and the move-up market page.
Frequently asked questions
What is the conforming loan limit in Pennsylvania for 2026?
$832,750 on one unit in 66 of the 67 counties, the national baseline, including Philadelphia, Allegheny, Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery, Lancaster, York, Dauphin and Lehigh.
Which Pennsylvania county has a higher loan limit?
Pike County, at $1,209,750 one-unit for 2026 under CBSA 25770. It is the only Pennsylvania county above the national baseline, a gap of $377,000 from the rest of the state.
Is the loan limit ever a constraint in Pennsylvania?
Rarely. Philadelphia, the state's largest market, had a typical home value of $389,524 in August 2026, leaving roughly $443,226 of headroom under the $832,750 limit.
Why does staying under the conforming limit matter if loan size is not the issue?
Because it keeps the file on agency guidelines, where the departing-residence rules in Fannie Mae B3-3.8-05 are published and consistent. Above the limit, investors set their own, usually with deeper reserves and stricter treatment of the departing payment.
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. Pennsylvania realty transfer tax is collected by county Recorders of Deeds and local rates vary by municipality and school district; your closing agent, your CPA or a Pennsylvania attorney, and your real estate agent each handle their own part. Loans are subject to borrower and property qualification.