Essex County, Massachusetts has a 2026 one-unit conforming loan limit of $962,550, which is 1.6 times the county's median home value of $619,100, so a typical home there can be financed with a conforming (non-jumbo) loan; median household income is $101,883 (FHFA; Census ACS 2020–2024).
Data as of 2026. Source: FHFA 2026 conforming loan limits; U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| 1-unit limit (2026) | $962,550 |
| 2-unit limit | $1,232,250 |
| 3-unit limit | $1,489,500 |
| 4-unit limit | $1,851,100 |
| Median home value (ACS 2020–24) | $619,100 |
| Massachusetts median home value | $562,100 |
| Limit ÷ median home value | 1.55× |
| Median household income | $101,883 |
| Median home value ÷ income | 6.1× |
| Population | 813,054 |
| Median property tax paid (owners) | $6,430 |
| Effective property tax rate (approx.) | 1.04% |
| Owner-occupied homes | 63.5% |
| Home value rank in Massachusetts | 7 of 14 counties |
| Neighbor: Middlesex County, MA | limit $962,550; median home $727,800 |
| Neighbor: Suffolk County, MA | limit $962,550; median home $705,800 |
| Neighbor: Hillsborough County, NH | limit $832,750; median home $421,100 |
| Neighbor: Rockingham County, NH | limit $962,550; median home $497,500 |
Across Massachusetts's 14 counties, FHFA's 2026 one-unit limits range from $832,750 to $1,249,125, with 7 high-cost counties. Essex County's median home value is 10% above the state median of $562,100 (rank 7 of 14). Among its 4 neighboring counties, Middlesex County has the highest median home value ($727,800) and Hillsborough County the lowest ($421,100); 1 neighbor(s) have a different loan limit. Owners pay a median $6,430 a year in property tax, an effective rate of about 1.04% of home value.
County data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024 (tables B25077, B19013, B01003, B25103, B25003). Neighbors: Census county adjacency file.
Related
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- 2026 conforming loan limit: Essex County, NJ
- 2026 conforming loan limit: Essex County, NY
- 2026 conforming loan limit: Essex County, VA
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Last updated 2026-10-16. Data only, not financial or tax advice.