In 2026 a one-unit loan in Williamson County is conforming up to $1,029,250 and jumbo above that, because FHFA treats the Nashville metro as a high-cost area. The $832,750 figure in most national articles is the baseline for the rest of the country, not Franklin. With 20% down, that means a purchase up to about $1,286,562 can still use a conforming loan.
At a glance
| Williamson County conforming limit, 2026 (one unit) | $1,029,250 |
|---|---|
| National baseline, 2026 (one unit) | $832,750 |
| High-cost ceiling, 2026 (one unit) | $1,249,125 |
| Largest price that stays conforming with 20% down | About $1,286,562 |
| Freddie Mac 30-year average, week of October 1, 2026 | 7.28% |
Monthly principal and interest at Franklin price points
| Price | 20% down | Loan | Monthly P&I |
|---|---|---|---|
| $1,000,000 | $200,000 | $800,000 | $5,474 |
| $1,500,000 | $300,000 | $1,200,000 | $8,211 |
| $2,000,000 | $400,000 | $1,600,000 | $10,947 |
| $3,000,000 | $600,000 | $2,400,000 | $16,421 |
Principal and interest only, 30-year fixed at 7.28% (Freddie Mac average for conforming loans, week of October 1, 2026); jumbo rates are quoted by each lender and can sit above or below it. Property tax, insurance and any HOA dues come on top.
The 2026 conforming loan limit in Williamson County
Conforming loan limits are the largest loans Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac will buy, and the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) sets them for every county each year. A loan above the limit for its county is a jumbo, or non-conforming, loan.
One-unit homes: $1,029,250
FHFA's 2026 county list puts Williamson County at $1,029,250 for a one-unit home. Williamson and Davidson counties sit in the Nashville metro area (CBSA 34980), which FHFA treats as high-cost. A single-family home in Franklin, Leiper's Fork or College Grove financed with a loan of $1,029,250 or less is conforming.
Two- to four-unit properties
Limits are higher for small multi-unit properties: $1,317,650 for two units, $1,592,700 for three and $1,979,350 for four in Williamson County for 2026.
Why the national $832,750 doesn't apply here
FHFA's 2026 baseline for one-unit homes in most of the country is $832,750, up $26,250 from 2025. The baseline rose 3.26%, matching the FHFA House Price Index increase between the third quarters of 2024 and 2025. Where 115% of the local median home value exceeds the baseline, the limit is raised as a multiple of the area median, capped at 150% of the baseline. That ceiling is $1,249,125 for 2026. Williamson County falls between the two, at $1,029,250.
The practical point: national calculators and articles that call any loan over $832,750 a jumbo are wrong for Franklin. Ask any lender to quote against the Williamson County limit.
What the limit means at Franklin prices
Zillow's typical home value in Franklin was $925,870 in August 2026. In ZIP 37069 it was $1,023,572, and in College Grove's ZIP 37046 it was $1,300,186. At those prices the limit decides, home by home, whether a buyer needs a jumbo loan.
| Down payment | Largest price that stays conforming (2026) |
|---|---|
| 10% | About $1,143,611 |
| 20% | About $1,286,562 |
| 25% | About $1,372,333 |
A buyer of a home at College Grove's typical value of $1,300,186 with 20% down would borrow about $1,040,149, just over the limit. Putting down $270,936, about 20.8% and roughly $10,899 more than 20%, would keep that loan conforming. The limit applies to the loan amount, not the price, so the down payment is the lever.
For neighborhood and ZIP values across the area, see the Franklin ZIP codes guide and the Franklin housing market page.
What jumbo lenders look at
Jumbo loans are not bought by Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac, so each lender sets its own rules. The figures below were not standardized for this guide on purpose: they vary by lender, by loan size and over time. Treat each heading as a question to put to every lender you interview.
Down payment
Ask the minimum down payment at your loan size, and whether it steps up at $1.5M, $2M or $3M.
Credit
Ask the minimum credit score for the loan amount and down payment you plan, and how a score just below a tier changes the rate.
Cash reserves
Lenders commonly ask how many months of payments you will hold in cash or investments after closing. Ask which accounts count, and whether retirement accounts are counted at a discount.
Debt-to-income ratio
Ask the maximum debt-to-income ratio the lender allows, and how it treats bonus, commission, business or investment income. Self-employed buyers should ask how many years of returns are required.
Appraisal
At $1.5M and above there can be few recent comparable sales, especially for acreage around Leiper's Fork and College Grove. Ask whether the lender requires more than one appraisal at your loan size, and what happens if the appraisal comes in below the price.
Rate and pricing
Freddie Mac's 30-year average of 7.28% for the week of October 1, 2026 is a survey of conforming loans. Jumbo rates are quoted by each lender and can be higher or lower. Get written quotes from more than one lender on the same day.
Jumbo vs conforming on a $1.2M and a $2M Franklin home
The payment table at the top of this page shows principal and interest at $1M, $1.5M, $2M and $3M with 20% down. The examples below show how the down payment moves a loan across the line. They use Freddie Mac's 30-year average of 7.28% for every loan for illustration only; a real jumbo quote will differ. Payments exclude property tax, insurance and HOA dues.
$1.2M home: conforming with 20% down
| Down payment | Loan | Loan type in Williamson County | Principal and interest |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10% ($120,000) | $1,080,000 | Jumbo | $7,389.49 |
| About 14.2% ($170,750) | $1,029,250 | Conforming, at the limit | $7,042.25 |
| 20% ($240,000) | $960,000 | Conforming | $6,568.44 |
A buyer who would put 10% down on a $1.2M home can stay conforming by adding $50,750 to the down payment. Under the national baseline, the same $960,000 loan would have been a jumbo.
$2M home: jumbo unless nearly half is down
With 20% down the loan is $1,600,000, well above the limit; its payment is in the table above. To keep a $2M purchase conforming, you would need $970,750 down, about 48.5%, for a loan of $1,029,250 at $7,042.25 a month.
A conforming first loan plus a second
Some buyers ask lenders about splitting the debt: a first mortgage at or under $1,029,250 plus a second loan or home equity line for the rest. On the $2M example with 20% down, that would be a $1,029,250 first and a $570,750 second. Whether it costs less than one jumbo loan depends on the second loan's rate, term and fees, so ask a lender to price both side by side.
Add property tax before comparing. On the $2M home inside Franklin outside the Franklin Special School District, the 2026 bill of $7,830 adds $652.50 a month; the Williamson County property tax guide has every jurisdiction. Run your own numbers in the jumbo mortgage calculator.
Below the limit: a $600,000 conforming loan and the salary for a $500,000 mortgage
Two of the most searched loan questions sit well under Franklin's $1M+ prices, but the same rules answer them, and they show how the county limit and debt-to-income math work before you scale them up.
Can a borrower get a $600,000 conforming loan for a single-family home?
Yes, by size. A $600,000 loan on a one-unit home is under the 2026 Williamson County limit of $1,029,250, and it is also under the $832,750 national baseline, so it is conforming-sized in every county in 2026. Whether a given borrower gets one depends on the lender's review of credit, income, assets and the appraisal. At Freddie Mac's 30-year average of 7.28% (week of October 1, 2026), principal and interest on $600,000 would be about $4,105.27 a month before tax, insurance and any HOA dues.
What salary do you need for a $500,000 mortgage?
It depends on your other debts and on the debt-to-income (DTI) limit the lender applies. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau defines DTI as all your monthly debt payments divided by your gross monthly income. The illustration below works the math with stated assumptions. It is not a lending standard or a quote: lenders decide, and each one treats bonus, business and investment income its own way.
The assumptions behind the illustration
- Loan: $500,000, 30-year fixed, at Freddie Mac's 7.28% average for the week of October 1, 2026. Principal and interest: $3,421.06 a month.
- Price: $625,000 with 20% down.
- Property tax: City of Franklin outside the Franklin Special School District, 2026 rate $1.566 per $100 of assessed value: $625,000 x 25% x $1.566 / 100 = $2,446.88 a year, or $203.91 a month.
- Insurance: an assumed $3,000 a year ($250 a month). This is a placeholder, not a quote; get a real one for the house.
- HOA dues: none assumed.
Total housing payment: $3,421.06 + $203.91 + $250.00 = $3,874.97 a month.
At a 28% housing ratio
A long-used rule of thumb keeps the housing payment at or under 28% of gross income. $3,874.97 / 0.28 = $13,839.17 a month, or about $166,070 a year.
At 36% and 43% total debt ratios
| Total DTI | Other monthly debts | Gross monthly income needed | Gross annual income needed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 36% | $0 | $3,874.97 / 0.36 = $10,763.81 | About $129,166 |
| 43% | $0 | $3,874.97 / 0.43 = $9,011.56 | About $108,139 |
| 36% | $1,000 (car, cards, student loans) | $4,874.97 / 0.36 = $13,541.58 | About $162,499 |
| 43% | $1,000 | $4,874.97 / 0.43 = $11,337.14 | About $136,046 |
Read across the rows: with no other debts, an income of roughly $108,000 to $166,000 covers this payment depending on which ratio is applied, and $1,000 of other monthly payments raises the figure at the same ratio by about $28,000 to $33,000 a year. A higher tax rate (inside the Franklin Special School District), an HOA or a higher insurance quote all raise it further.
Where lenders draw the line
Ratios are set by the program, not by a rule of thumb. Fannie Mae's Selling Guide caps total DTI at 36% of stable monthly income for manually underwritten loans, allows up to 45% when the borrower meets its credit score and reserve requirements, and allows up to 50% for loans run through its Desktop Underwriter system. Jumbo lenders set their own limits. Ask each lender which ratio it will apply to you and which income it will count. The same arithmetic scales to Franklin prices: the payment table above and the jumbo mortgage calculator give the monthly figure to divide.
How to compare a jumbo quote with a conforming one
When a home sits near the line, you may be choosing between a larger down payment with a conforming loan and a smaller one with a jumbo. Compare them on the same terms, or the cheaper-looking quote may not be.
- Same day, same lock. Rates move daily. Ask every lender to quote on the same day for the same rate-lock period.
- Rate and points together. A lower rate bought with points costs cash at closing. Ask for the rate with no points as well as any discounted option.
- All lender fees in writing. Origination, underwriting, appraisal and any second-appraisal charge belong in the comparison.
- Mortgage insurance. If the conforming option means less than 20% down, ask whether mortgage insurance applies and what it adds each month.
- What the extra cash would otherwise earn. Every dollar added to the down payment to stay conforming is a dollar not held in reserves, which jumbo lenders also look at. Your financial adviser can weigh that trade.
- The full monthly cost. Add property tax, insurance and HOA dues to each option before you choose.
Two loans that differ by a small amount each month can differ by much more over the years you expect to keep the home. Ask each lender for the total interest over the period you plan to own, not just the first payment.
Costs at closing tied to the loan
Tennessee charges a mortgage tax of 11.5 cents per $100 of the loan after the first $2,000, paid by the borrower at recording. On a loan at the $1,029,250 limit it is $1,181.34; on a $1,600,000 jumbo it is $1,837.70. Lender fees, the appraisal and the lender's title policy come from your quotes. The Tennessee closing costs guide lists each item.
This page explains how loan limits work; it is not lending advice. Ask a licensed mortgage lender for a written quote and preapproval based on your own finances. If you are weighing homes on either side of the limit, I can pull recent Franklin sales so you can see what each price band buys.
Common questions
What is the 2026 conforming loan limit in Williamson County, TN?
For 2026 it is $1,029,250 for a one-unit home in Williamson County, according to FHFA's county list. Two-unit properties are $1,317,650, three-unit $1,592,700 and four-unit $1,979,350. The county is in the high-cost Nashville metro area, so it sits above the national baseline of $832,750.
What is the jumbo loan limit for 2026?
A jumbo loan is any loan above the conforming limit for its county, so the line depends on where the home is. In most of the US the 2026 one-unit baseline is $832,750, and in the highest-cost areas the ceiling is $1,249,125. In Williamson County a one-unit loan becomes jumbo above $1,029,250. Ask each lender for its own maximum jumbo loan size.
Can a $1 million loan be conforming in Franklin, TN?
Yes. In 2026 a one-unit loan of up to $1,029,250 in Williamson County is conforming, so a $1,000,000 loan qualifies by size. Approval still depends on the lender's review of your credit, income, assets and the appraisal. With 20% down, that loan size covers a purchase of up to about $1,286,562.
Can a borrower get a $600,000 conforming loan for a single-family home?
Yes, by loan size. In 2026 a one-unit loan is conforming up to $1,029,250 in Williamson County and up to the $832,750 baseline in most of the country, so a $600,000 loan qualifies by size anywhere. Approval still depends on the lender's review of credit, income, assets and the appraisal. At 7.28%, principal and interest would be about $4,105 a month.
What salary do you need for a $500,000 mortgage?
As an illustration only: at 7.28% over 30 years, with a $625,000 Franklin price, 2026 city tax of $203.91 a month and an assumed $250 a month for insurance, the payment is $3,874.97. At a 28% housing ratio that takes about $166,070 a year; at 36% or 43% total DTI with no other debts, about $129,166 or $108,139. Lenders decide.
Is a 30-year conforming loan the same as a conventional loan?
Not exactly. A conforming loan is a conventional loan that fits within FHFA's limit for its county, so Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac can buy it. Thirty years describes the term, not the type. A 30-year conforming loan is a conventional loan with a 30-year term; a loan above the Williamson County limit of $1,029,250 is a jumbo whatever its term.
What salary do you need for a $1.5 million home in Franklin?
There is no single answer because jumbo lenders set their own debt-to-income limits and treat bonus, business and investment income differently. Start with the full monthly cost: principal and interest from the payment table above, plus property tax of $4,875 to $8,412.38 a year at 2026 rates, insurance and any HOA dues. Then ask a lender what income it needs to support that payment.
When will the 2027 conforming loan limits be announced?
FHFA publishes the next year's limits each November; the 2026 limits were announced on November 25, 2025. Until the 2027 county list is out, use the 2026 Williamson County figure of $1,029,250 for planning, and ask your lender how a closing date in early 2027 would be treated.
Does the loan limit apply to the price or the loan amount?
The loan amount. A $1.4M home is not automatically a jumbo purchase: with a down payment large enough to keep the loan at or below $1,029,250, the loan can be conforming in Williamson County. On a $1.4M home that means at least $370,750 down.
Sources
- FHFA: Full county loan limit list 2026 (XLSX)
- FHFA: FHFA Announces Conforming Loan Limit Values for 2026 (Nov 25, 2025)
- Freddie Mac: Primary Mortgage Market Survey (week of October 1, 2026)
- Zillow Research: Home Value Index (ZHVI), August 2026
- Tennessee Department of Revenue: Realty Transfer and Recordation Tax Manual (March 2022)
- Williamson County Trustee: 2026 Property Tax Rates & Calculator
- Consumer Financial Protection Bureau: What is a debt-to-income ratio?
- Fannie Mae Selling Guide: B3-6-02, Debt-to-Income Ratios
Brianna Morant
I have worked in real estate for more than 20 years. In 2013 I founded Oak Street Real Estate Group with Benchmark Realty, and I lead every listing the team takes on. Here I focus on homes from $1 million in Franklin, Leiper's Fork and College Grove. If you are thinking of selling, I would be glad to tell you what your home could sell for.
Realtor®, Benchmark Realty, LLC. General information, not legal, tax or lending advice.
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