Loan Limits / Hawaii / Kalawao County
2026 Loan Limits · Hawaii · KAHULUI-WAILUKU, HI
Kalawao County, HI.
2026 conforming and FHA loan limits, calibrated to a median sales price of $1,130,000. Hawaii qualifies for the 50% statutory increase available to Hawaii, Alaska, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Median Sales Price
$1,130,000
Per HUD CHUMS, 2026
Conforming 1u Limit
$1,299,500
Special (HI/AK/GU/VI)
FHA 1u Limit
$1,299,500
Special (HI/AK/GU/VI)
Jumbo Threshold
> $1,299,500
1-unit · loans above this are jumbo
Conforming (Fannie / Freddie)
Special (HI/AK/GU/VI)| 1-unit (single-family) | $1,299,500 |
| 2-unit (duplex) | $1,663,600 |
| 3-unit (triplex) | $2,010,950 |
| 4-unit (fourplex) | $2,499,100 |
FHA Forward (203b)
Special (HI/AK/GU/VI)| 1-unit (single-family) | $1,299,500 |
| 2-unit (duplex) | $1,663,600 |
| 3-unit (triplex) | $2,010,950 |
| 4-unit (fourplex) | $2,499,100 |
About this county
About Kalawao County
Kalawao County is a county in the U.S. state of Hawaii. It is the smallest county in the 50 states by land area and the second-smallest county by population, after Loving County, Texas. The county encompasses the peninsula on the north coast of the island of Molokaʻi. The peninsula was developed and used from 1866 to 1969 as a leper colony, chosen because it is isolated from the rest of Molokaʻi by cliffs over a quarter-mile high; the only land access is a mule trail, now closed to visitors. Read more on Wikipedia →
Population
43
U.S. Census ACS 2023
Median Household Income
$86,250
U.S. Census ACS 2023
Owner-Occupancy Rate
0%
Of occupied housing
What these limits mean for buyers in Kalawao County
The 2026 conforming 1-unit limit for Kalawao County is $1,299,500. Loans at or below this amount can be sold by the originating lender to Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac, which keeps pricing tight and underwriting consistent. Hawaii qualifies for the 50% statutory increase available to Hawaii, Alaska, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands per 12 USC § 1709(b)(2)(A), so the limit is set above the standard high-cost ceiling.
For FHA financing, the 2026 1-unit limit is $1,299,500. The HUD CHUMS table pegs the median sales price for Kalawao County at $1,130,000. Because of the special-tier statutory bump, the FHA limit here can exceed the standard national ceiling.
Practical takeaway. The median sales price in Kalawao County ($1,130,000) is below both limits — FHA, conventional, and VA financing all cover median-priced purchases here. Choice between programs comes down to credit, down payment, and overlay differences.
How the limits are set
Conforming limits come from the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA), which adjusts them each year based on changes in the FHFA Housing Price Index. FHA limits come from HUD: the national floor is $541,287 (65% of conforming baseline), the ceiling is $1,249,125 (150% of conforming baseline), and counties between are calculated as 115% of the area median sales price. Hawaii receives an additional 50% statutory bump per 12 USC § 1709(b)(2)(A).
Multi-unit and house-hacking math
Kalawao County 2-, 3-, and 4-unit conforming limits are $1,663,600, $2,010,950, and $2,499,100 respectively. If you're house-hacking — owner-occupying one unit of a 2-4 unit property — these are the limits that matter, and the rental income on the other units can be used to qualify. FHA and VA both finance owner-occupied 2-4 unit properties at their own multi-unit limits.
Limits effective 2026 per HUD CHUMS publication. Sourced GSE and FHA files. Generated 2026-04-26.
Buying in Kalawao County?
We'll structure the loan against the right limit and the right program. Conforming, FHA, VA, jumbo — all in-house.