How Much Can I Borrow With an FHA Loan in the Upper Valley in 2026?
By Derek Tsakiris | NMLS #1007898 | Licensed in NH, VT & ME
The short answer: For 2026, the FHA loan limit on a single-family home is $541,287 in Grafton and Sullivan counties in New Hampshire and Windsor County in Vermont.
A two-unit home has a higher limit of $693,050.
Most of the Lakes Region of New Hampshire has the same limits. Carroll County is a little higher at $546,250.
These limits are the most FHA will insure on a loan. They are not a cap on the price of the house.
HUD sets new FHA loan limits every year.
Most of the news about it gives you one national number. The limit that applies to you depends on the county you're buying in.
So here are the 2026 numbers for the Upper Valley, the Lake Sunapee region, and the Lakes Region of New Hampshire.
What is the 2026 FHA loan limit in the Upper Valley?
$541,287 on a single-family home.
That's the limit in Grafton and Sullivan counties in New Hampshire and in Windsor County, Vermont.
It's also the limit in most of the country.
Which towns share that number?
On the New Hampshire side, Lebanon, Hanover, Enfield, and Claremont all have the same $541,287 limit.
So do Sunapee, Newport, and New London in the Lake Sunapee region.
On the Vermont side, White River Junction, Norwich, and Woodstock have it too.
If you're shopping on both sides of the river, the limit doesn't change when you cross the bridge.
What is the FHA loan limit in the Lakes Region of New Hampshire?
The Lakes Region is spread across a few counties, and Lake Winnipesaukee itself sits in two of them. So the answer depends on the town.
Laconia, Gilford, Meredith, and Alton are on the Belknap County side of Lake Winnipesaukee. The 2026 limit there is $541,287 on a single-family home, the same as the Upper Valley.
Wolfeboro, Moultonborough, and Tuftonboro are on the Carroll County side, along with Ossipee. The limit there is a little higher, $546,250.
Plymouth, Holderness, and Bristol are in Grafton County, so they're at $541,287.
Homes on and around Lake Winnipesaukee often sell for more than that. An FHA loan can still work on a higher-priced home if you bring a larger down payment, and sometimes a different loan is the better fit. Call me before you make an offer and we'll look at both.
Here is every county in New Hampshire, Vermont, and Maine. Thirty of the forty have the same $541,287 limit, and the ten in gold are higher.
Is the FHA limit a cap on the price of the house?
No. People mix these two up all the time.
The limit is the most FHA will insure on the loan.
The loan and the price of the house are two different numbers. If the house costs more than the limit, the difference comes from your down payment.
If the home you love is priced near the limit, call me early. It's a much easier conversation to have before you write an offer.
What is the FHA limit on a two-unit home?
$693,050.
A lot of buyers don't know about this one.
A two-unit home gets a higher limit than a single-family home. In Carroll County the two-unit limit is $699,300.
So if you're looking at a duplex in Lebanon or Laconia, you have more room than you might have thought.
You do have to live in one of the units.
For the limits in every county in New Hampshire, Vermont, and Maine, read the free FHA Loan Guide for NH, VT, and ME. The FHA purchase loan page covers the program itself.
More in this FHA series
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the 2026 FHA limits for three-unit and four-unit homes?
In most New Hampshire, Vermont, and Maine counties, the 2026 limit is $837,700 for a three-unit home and $1,041,125 for a four-unit home.
Are any New Hampshire counties above that limit?
Yes. For a single-family home in 2026, Carroll County is $546,250, Hillsborough County is $589,950, and Rockingham and Strafford counties are $962,550.
When did the 2026 FHA limits take effect?
HUD announced them on December 11, 2025. They apply to FHA case numbers assigned on or after January 1, 2026.
The Bottom Line
$541,287 on a single-family home. $693,050 on a two-unit.
Those are the 2026 numbers for the Upper Valley, the Lake Sunapee region, and the Lakes Region of New Hampshire. Carroll County runs a little higher.
These limits are the most FHA will insure. What fits your budget is a separate question, and that's the one I can help you answer.
Not every file fits every rule. Let's see what's possible for yours.
Source: HUD Mortgagee Letter 2025-23, announced December 11, 2025. County figures checked against HUD's 2026 limits file.
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Derek Tsakiris | NMLS #1007898 | NEXA Mortgage, LLC NMLS #1660690 | Licensed in NH, VT & ME | Equal Housing
