Harris County, TX Conforming Loan Limit — 2026

A 20% down payment on a median Harris County home requires $58,000 in cash — or $10,150 for an FHA-minimum 3.5% down payment. Buyers with less than 20% down will also need to budget for PMI or FHA MIP.

Harris County's median home value of $290,000 is close to the national median of $310,000, putting most buyers in the conforming loan range with conventional or FHA options readily available.

Harris County's $290,000 median sits between El Paso County ($195,000) and Travis County ($560,000) within the Texas counties we track.

Harris County's effective property tax rate of 2.18% is 98% above the 1.10% national average across the markets we track — placing it among the top 5 highest-tax counties in our dataset.

Based on the 2.18% effective rate and a median home value of $290,000, a typical homeowner in Harris County pays approximately $6,322 in annual property taxes — or $527 per month added to their mortgage payment.

Sources: Tax Foundation 2025

Homeowners insurance in Harris County averages around $3,100/year ($258/month) — roughly 94% above the national average of $1,600.

Premium quotes in Harris County typically range from $2,200 to $4,500 per year depending on home age, construction type, coverage limits, and your insurer. Always get multiple quotes.

Sources: NAIC 2024

A buyer purchasing the median Harris County home ($290,000) with FHA's minimum 3.5% down would borrow $279,850 — well within the $541,287 baseline FHA limit for this county. FHA financing is a viable option for most buyers here.

With 20% down on a median-priced home, the loan amount of $232,000 stays $600,750 below the $832,750 conforming limit — giving buyers access to conventional Fannie/Freddie pricing without jumbo underwriting.

Sources: HUD ML 2025-23, FHFA 2026