Guide · Homebuying
Alaska FHA loan limits for 2026, by borough and census area
Every Alaska borough or census area's 2026 FHA limit for 1 to 4 units, what it means for your price at 3.5% down, and what to do above the limit.
By the CalcLedger editorial team · Updated October 2026 · 8 min read · Examples use illustrative rates · How we calculate
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On this page
- Why most of Alaska sits at the floor
- 2026 FHA loan limits by borough or census area in Alaska
- Limits for 3- and 4-unit homes
- How HUD set these limits
- What the limit means for your home price and payment
- Buying above the limit with an FHA loan
- How to check your borough or census area yourself
- Frequently asked questions
The short answer: In Alaska, the 2026 FHA loan limit for a one-unit home ranges from $541,287 in 26 boroughs and census areas to $596,850 in Juneau City and Borough. 4 of the state's 30 boroughs and census areas sit above the national floor of $541,287. Anchorage Municipality, the state's most populous borough or census area, has a one-unit limit of $541,287 ($693,050 for two units).
Key takeaways
- Alaska is a HUD "special exception" area, so its limits could go as high as $1,873,625. In practice 26 of 30 boroughs and census areas sit at the $541,287 floor, and Juneau City and Borough is highest at $596,850.
- The limit caps the base loan, not the price. With 3.5% down, a $541,287 limit supports a home of up to about $560,919.
- The 1.75% upfront premium can be financed on top of the limit, so your total loan can be slightly higher than the number in the table.
- No Alaska borough or census area has a one-unit limit above $726,200, so every FHA buyer in the state pays the standard 30-year rate of 0.55% a year with less than 5% down (0.50% with 5% or more down).
$541,287one-unit floor
$596,850highest Alaska limit
4 of 30boroughs and census areas above the floor
$541,287Anchorage Municipality limit
FHA loan limits are set area by area every year by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). They decide how big an FHA loan can be, which in practice decides how expensive a home you can buy with FHA's low 3.5% minimum down payment. Below are all 30 Alaska boroughs and census areas from HUD's 2026 FHA forward limits data file, then what the numbers mean for your price, payment and down payment.
Try it See your own FHA payment with MIP for a price in your borough in the FHA loan calculator, or compare FHA with conventional and VA in the FHA vs. conventional vs. VA calculator.
Why most of Alaska sits at the floor
Alaska is one of four HUD special exception areas (with Hawaii, Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands), so its FHA limits could go as high as $1,873,625. But each area's limit is still 115% of its median sale price, and Alaska's medians are low enough that 26 of its 30 boroughs and census areas stay at the $541,287 national floor, including Anchorage, Matanuska-Susitna and Fairbanks North Star. Only Juneau ($596,850), Sitka ($586,500), the Aleutians West Census Area ($585,350) and Kodiak Island ($541,650, just $363 above the floor) are higher. Meanwhile FHFA's 2026 conforming baseline for Alaska is $1,249,125, so a conventional loan can be more than twice as large as an FHA loan in most of the state.
2026 FHA loan limits by borough or census area in Alaska
These 4 boroughs and census areas have one-unit limits above the $541,287 floor, highest first. The small text is the metro area HUD uses: boroughs and census areas in the same area share one limit.
| Borough or census area | 1 unit | 2 units |
|---|---|---|
| Juneau City and Borough Juneau | $596,850 | $764,050 |
| Sitka City and Borough Non-metro | $586,500 | $750,800 |
| Aleutians West Census Area Non-metro | $585,350 | $749,350 |
| Kodiak Island Borough Non-metro | $541,650 | $693,400 |
All other Alaska boroughs and census areas (26): $541,287 for one unit, $693,050 for two, $837,700 for three and $1,041,125 for four units. They are Aleutians East Borough, Anchorage Municipality, Bethel Census Area, Bristol Bay Borough, Chugach Census Area, Copper River Census Area, Denali Borough, Dillingham Census Area, Fairbanks North Star Borough, Haines Borough, Hoonah-Angoon Census Area, Kenai Peninsula Borough, Ketchikan Gateway Borough, Kusilvak Census Area, Lake and Peninsula Borough, Matanuska-Susitna Borough, Nome Census Area, North Slope Borough, Northwest Arctic Borough, Petersburg Borough, Prince of Wales-Hyder Census Area, Skagway Municipality, Southeast Fairbanks Census Area, Wrangell City and Borough, Yakutat City and Borough, and Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area.
Limits for 3- and 4-unit homes
FHA also finances two- to four-unit homes if you live in one of the units. Each one-unit limit level in Alaska maps to these higher limits:
| 1-unit limit | 3 units | 4 units |
|---|---|---|
| $596,850 (1 borough or census area) | $923,600 | $1,147,800 |
| $586,500 (1 borough or census area) | $907,550 | $1,127,900 |
| $585,350 (1 borough or census area) | $905,800 | $1,125,700 |
| $541,650 (1 borough or census area) | $838,150 | $1,041,650 |
| $541,287 (26 boroughs and census areas) | $837,700 | $1,041,125 |
Highest 2026 FHA one-unit limits in Alaska
By HUD metro area (or borough or census area outside metro areas), vs. the national floor
High-cost areasNational floor
How HUD set these limits
Under Mortgagee Letter 2025-23, the 2026 floor is 65% of the national conforming loan limit of $832,750 ($541,287), and the ceiling is 150% ($1,249,125). In between, a borough or census area's limit is 115% of the median sale price HUD uses for its metro area. For the Juneau area, HUD's median sale price is $519,000; 115% of that is $596,850, which is the Juneau City and Borough limit. Alaska is one of four special exception areas (with Alaska, Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands), where the ceiling is $1,873,625 for one unit, so limits here can go above $1,249,125. That is why every borough or census area in one metro area shows the same number, even if home prices differ between them.
What the limit means for your home price and payment
FHA requires at least 3.5% down for most buyers, and the base loan (price minus down payment) can't exceed the limit. Divide the limit by 0.965 and you get the most expensive home you can buy with the minimum down payment. The payment column adds principal, interest and first-year MIP on a 30-year loan at an illustrative 6.25% rate, with the 1.75% upfront premium financed; property tax, insurance and HOA dues come on top.
| Where | Max price at 3.5% down | P&I + MIP per month |
|---|---|---|
| Floor boroughs and census areas $541,287 limit | $560,919 ($19,632 down) | $3,638 (MIP 0.55%) |
| Juneau City and Borough $596,850 limit | $618,497 ($21,647 down) | $4,011 (MIP 0.55%) |
No Alaska borough or census area has a one-unit limit above $726,200, so every FHA buyer in the state pays the standard 30-year rate of 0.55% a year with less than 5% down (0.50% with 5% or more down). HUD sets that threshold in Mortgagee Letter 2023-05 and our FHA loan & MIP calculator applies it automatically.
Tip Your lender checks the limit for the borough or census area where the property is, not where you live now. If you are shopping across area lines, check each borough or census area in the table above: the same price can need a very different down payment.
Buying above the limit with an FHA loan
You can still use FHA for a home that costs more than the limit allows at 3.5% down: you cover the difference with a bigger down payment. The base loan stays at the limit.
Example A $650,000 home in Juneau City and Borough: the base loan can be at most $596,850, so you need $53,150 down (8.2%). Principal, interest and first-year MIP come to about $3,986 a month at 6.25% with the upfront premium financed. The same price in a $541,287 floor borough or census area would need $108,713 down (16.7%).
At that point, compare FHA with a conventional loan: the 2026 conforming baseline in Alaska is $1,249,125, more than twice the FHA floor that applies in most of the state; check FHFA's county list for your area. FHA annual MIP lasts for the life of the loan with less than 10% down (11 years with 10% or more), while conventional PMI can be cancelled once you reach 20% equity. Put both side by side in the FHA vs. conventional vs. VA calculator.
Watch out The table shows 2026 limits. If your FHA case number is assigned in 2027, the 2027 limits apply. HUD usually publishes them in late November or December, so buyers closing early next year should ask the lender which year's limit their case number falls under.
How to check your borough or census area yourself
- Open HUD's FHA mortgage limits lookup.
- Choose FHA Forward, limit year CY2026 and the state Alaska, then search.
- Read the one-unit column for a single-family home or condo, or the two- to four-unit columns for a multi-unit home.
For the rest of the country, see the 2026 FHA loan limits hub. For what FHA mortgage insurance costs at each loan size, see FHA MIP explained.
Frequently asked questions
What is the FHA loan limit in Alaska for 2026?
It depends on the borough or census area: $541,287 for a one-unit home in 26 boroughs and census areas, up to $596,850 in Juneau City and Borough. For two units the range is $693,050 to $764,050. The limits apply to FHA case numbers assigned from January 1, 2026.
What is the FHA loan limit in Anchorage?
The 2026 limit for the Anchorage Municipality is $541,287 for one unit, $693,050 for two, $837,700 for three and $1,041,125 for four units, the same as the national floor. Matanuska-Susitna, which HUD groups with Anchorage, has the same limits. With 3.5% down, $541,287 supports a price of up to about $560,919.
What is the Anchorage Municipality FHA loan limit?
$541,287 for one unit, $693,050 for two, $837,700 for three and $1,041,125 for four units in 2026. With the minimum 3.5% down, that supports a price of up to about $560,919.
Can I get an FHA loan above the limit?
Not for the base loan: it must stay at or below the borough or census area limit. You can still buy a pricier home by putting more down. A $650,000 home in Juneau City and Borough needs $53,150 down (8.2%) to keep the base loan at $596,850. The 1.75% upfront premium can be added on top of the limit.
Does the upfront MIP count toward the FHA limit?
No. HUD Handbook 4155.2 says the upfront premium "is not considered when determining compliance with statutory loan limits" and that "the total mortgage amount may exceed the limit by the financed UFMIP amount."
When do the 2027 FHA loan limits come out?
HUD publishes them after FHFA announces the new conforming limit, usually late November or December. The 2026 limits came out in Mortgagee Letter 2025-23, dated December 11, 2025. We update this page when HUD publishes.
Limits from HUD's CY2026 FHA forward limits file, pulled October 13, 2026. Payment examples are illustrative (6.25%, 30 years); your lender confirms the limit, rate and eligibility.
Sources
- U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development: Mortgagee Letter 2025-23: 2026 nationwide forward mortgage loan limits
- U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development: FHA mortgage limits lookup (county limits)
- U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development: CHUMS data files: CY2026 FHA forward limits (county data file and layout)
- Federal Housing Finance Agency: FHFA announces conforming loan limit values for 2026
- U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development: Handbook 4155.2, chapter 7: Mortgage insurance premiums (UFMIP refund chart)
- U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development: Mortgagee Letter 2023-05: FHA annual mortgage insurance premium reduction
Rules, limits and program details are checked against these official sources. Example numbers are calculated by CalcLedger with the formulas on our how we calculate page. Read our editorial policy.
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