Jumbo Loan Tennessee: Where Nashville-Area Limits Start in 2026
A jumbo loan in Tennessee starts above $1,029,250 in Williamson, Davidson and 12 other Nashville-area counties in 2026, and above $832,750 in most others.
Franklin, Tenn. — November 5, 2026
A jumbo loan in Tennessee is any mortgage larger than the conforming loan limit for the county where the home sits, and in 2026 that line is drawn higher across the Nashville area than in most of the state. Federal Housing Finance Agency data show the one-unit limit is $1,029,250 in Williamson, Davidson, Rutherford and 11 other Middle Tennessee counties, compared with the national baseline of $832,750 that applies in Knox, Hamilton, Shelby, Montgomery and most other Tennessee counties.
What makes a jumbo loan in Tennessee
Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are restricted by law to buying single-family mortgages below a set balance, known as the conforming loan limit, and loans above that amount are known as jumbo loans, according to the FHFA. The agency resets the limits each year to track home prices. For 2026, it raised the baseline one-unit limit by $26,250 to $832,750 after its house price index showed prices rose 3.26% between the third quarters of 2024 and 2025.
In areas where 115% of the local median home value exceeds the baseline, the limit is set higher, up to a ceiling of $1,249,125 for one-unit homes in 2026. The 14 Nashville-area counties share one metro-area code in FHFA's county list and fall in that higher-cost group, so a Franklin or Brentwood buyer can borrow more before crossing into jumbo territory than a buyer in Knoxville or Chattanooga.
2026 conforming loan limits in Tennessee
Limits also rise with the number of units in the property, for buildings of up to four units.
| Property type | Nashville-area counties (14) | Most other Tennessee counties |
|---|---|---|
| One unit | $1,029,250 | $832,750 |
| Two units | $1,317,650 | $1,066,250 |
| Three units | $1,592,700 | $1,288,800 |
| Four units | $1,979,350 | $1,601,750 |
Source: Federal Housing Finance Agency, Conforming Loan Limits for Calendar Year 2026, full county list. Nashville-area counties at the higher limit: Cannon, Cheatham, Davidson, Dickson, Hickman, Macon, Maury, Robertson, Rutherford, Smith, Sumner, Trousdale, Williamson and Wilson.
The limit applies to the loan amount, not the purchase price. A buyer's down payment determines how large the mortgage needs to be, so the same home can be financed with a conforming loan or a jumbo loan depending on how much the buyer puts down. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau notes that knowing the county limit helps when shopping and negotiating, because it shows whether a particular home might require a larger down payment or a jumbo loan.
How jumbo loans differ for Williamson County buyers
Jumbo loans are above the amount Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac can buy, according to the FHFA, and the CFPB says the cost of a jumbo mortgage may be higher than the cost of a conforming mortgage. Requirements for credit, down payment, cash reserves and documentation vary by lender and loan program, so buyers comparing offers generally benefit from reviewing each lender's terms side by side.
Williamson County is where the question comes up most often in Middle Tennessee. The Iron Hill Brief has reported that Williamson County's median sale price crossed $1 million, and the Brief's look at the Franklin TN housing market compares Franklin with Brentwood and Spring Hill. Buyers can estimate how a loan amount translates into a monthly payment with the monthly payment calculator.
FHFA announced its 2026 limits on Nov. 25, 2025, and its 2025 limits on Nov. 26, 2024. The limits for 2027 have not yet been announced.
Frequently asked questions
What is the jumbo loan limit in Nashville in 2026? For a one-unit home, mortgages above $1,029,250 are jumbo loans in Davidson County and the other Nashville-area counties listed above, according to FHFA's 2026 county list.
Is Williamson County a high-cost area? Yes. Williamson County is part of the Nashville metro area, where the 2026 one-unit conforming limit is $1,029,250 rather than the $832,750 baseline.
Where can I check my county's limit? The FHFA publishes the full county list each year, and the CFPB points borrowers to HUD's loan limit lookup, using the "Fannie/Freddie" limit type and the "One-Family" column for a single-family home.
Sources
- Federal Housing Finance Agency, "FHFA Announces Conforming Loan Limit Values for 2026," Nov. 25, 2025 (accessed Nov. 4, 2026): https://www.fhfa.gov/news/news-release/fhfa-announces-conforming-loan-limit-values-for-2026
- Federal Housing Finance Agency, Conforming Loan Limits for Calendar Year 2026, All Counties (CSV) (accessed Nov. 4, 2026): https://www.fhfa.gov/document/d/cll/fullcountyloanlimitlist2026_hera-based_final_flat.csv
- Federal Housing Finance Agency, "FHFA Conforming Loan Limits" (accessed Nov. 4, 2026): https://www.fhfa.gov/data/conforming-loan-limit
- Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, "What is a jumbo loan?" (accessed Nov. 4, 2026): https://www.consumerfinance.gov/ask-cfpb/what-is-a-jumbo-loan-en-116/
- Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, "How can I find the loan limit for a conforming loan in my county?" (accessed Nov. 4, 2026): https://www.consumerfinance.gov/ask-cfpb/how-can-i-find-the-loan-limit-for-a-conforming-loan-in-my-county-en-1961/