Conventional loans in Connecticut: conforming limit, real monthly costs, PMI timeline
Connecticut buyers using a conventional loan face the same three questions everywhere — how much down, what it costs each month, when mortgage insurance ends — with answers that depend on the state’s $430,000 median and 1.79% effective property tax. This page works them out, then covers the Connecticut rules that touch the loan.
| Conforming limit (2026, one unit) | $832,750 baseline in 6 of 9 counties, 3 high-cost counties up to $977,500 (Greater Bridgeport Planning Region, Western Connecticut Planning Region) |
|---|---|
| Median home price (approx.) | $430,000 — statewide order of magnitude |
| 20% down on the median | $86,000 down, loan $344,000, about $2,174/month P&I at 6.5% |
| 5% down on the median | $21,500 down, loan $408,500, about $2,582/month P&I + about $255 PMI |
| PMI ends (5% down, scheduled payments) | request at 80% after about 10 years and 4 months, automatic at 78% after about 11 years and 3 months |
| Property tax (effective) | about 1.79% — roughly $7,697 a year on the median |
| Closing practice | Attorney closing state |
Loan limits: the Connecticut picture
In Connecticut, a one-unit conventional loan above $832,750 is jumbo in 2026. The median price of about $430,000 means the median buyer is well inside the limit even with 3% down (loan $417,100), so conforming rules apply to most purchases. Two-, three- and four-unit homes have higher limits. Every Connecticut county is in the table below; see conforming loan limits and jumbo loans.
Connecticut loan limits, county by county (2026)
Because the limit follows the county line, the same Connecticut price can be conforming on one side and jumbo on the other. 3 of 9 counties are high-cost in 2026 (in bold), with Greater Bridgeport Planning Region, Western Connecticut Planning Region at $977,500; the rest use $832,750. Multi-unit limits are shown for each county.
| County | 1 unit | 2 units | 3 units | 4 units |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Capitol Planning Region | $832,750 | $1,066,250 | $1,288,800 | $1,601,750 |
| Greater Bridgeport Planning Region | $977,500 | $1,251,400 | $1,512,650 | $1,879,850 |
| Lower Connecticut River Valley Planning Region | $832,750 | $1,066,250 | $1,288,800 | $1,601,750 |
| Naugatuck Valley Planning Region | $851,000 | $1,089,450 | $1,316,900 | $1,636,550 |
| Northeastern Connecticut Planning Region | $832,750 | $1,066,250 | $1,288,800 | $1,601,750 |
| Northwest Hills Planning Region | $832,750 | $1,066,250 | $1,288,800 | $1,601,750 |
| South Central Connecticut Planning Region | $832,750 | $1,066,250 | $1,288,800 | $1,601,750 |
| Southeastern Connecticut Planning Region | $832,750 | $1,066,250 | $1,288,800 | $1,601,750 |
| Western Connecticut Planning Region | $977,500 | $1,251,400 | $1,512,650 | $1,879,850 |
Source: FHFA, Conforming Loan Limit Values for 2026 (county list, mortgages acquired in calendar year 2026). Limits are for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac loans; FHA and VA use their own county figures.
Monthly cost on a $430,000 Connecticut home
Illustrative 6.5% 30-year fixed rate, principal and interest only; mortgage insurance at typical market rates for each down payment (it varies with credit score); property tax at the state’s approximate 1.79% effective rate. Homeowners insurance and any HOA come on top. None of it is an offer.
| Down payment | Cash down | Loan | P&I | PMI (est.) | Property tax | Monthly total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3% | $12,900 | $417,100 | $2,636 | $313 | $641 | $3,590 |
| 5% | $21,500 | $408,500 | $2,582 | $255 | $641 | $3,478 |
| 10% | $43,000 | $387,000 | $2,446 | $161 | $641 | $3,248 |
| 20% | $86,000 | $344,000 | $2,174 | — | $641 | $2,815 |
Under 20% down, conventional loans require mortgage insurance until the loan-to-value falls; the next section gives the ${e.nom} timeline. Payment tables at other amounts and rates: mortgage payment tables.
The PMI timeline on a Connecticut purchase
Mortgage insurance on a conventional loan is temporary. With only the scheduled payments at 6.5%, the Connecticut buyer who put 5% down reaches the 80% request point after about 10 years and 4 months and the 78% automatic point after about 11 years and 3 months; with 10% down the request point comes after about 7 years and 11 months. Paying an extra $258 a month toward principal, or asking for cancellation on a new appraisal after two years of appreciation, shortens the clock. The full rules are on how to remove PMI.
Closing costs and taxes in Connecticut
Connecticut is a strict attorney state: since Public Act 19-88 took effect in October 2019, Conn. Gen. Stat. § 51-88a makes it unauthorized practice for anyone other than a Connecticut-admitted attorney to conduct a residential mortgage closing. The buyer’s attorney typically searches and certifies title, issues the title policy as an agent, and disburses the lender’s funds; the seller has separate counsel. Closings are wet-funded, with recording on the town land records (Connecticut has no county recording offices).
Connecticut has no mortgage recording tax or intangible tax on the note. The real estate conveyance tax — a state rate of 0.75% rising to 1.25% and 2.25% on higher price brackets, plus a 0.25% municipal tax — is paid by the seller on the deed. Recording a mortgage on the town land records costs a per-page fee set by statute plus a small state surcharge. Connecticut’s conveyance tax is 0.75% of the price up to $800,000 and 1.25% above (2.25% on the portion over $2.5 million), plus a municipal tax of 0.25% (0.5% in certain eligible towns). It is paid by the seller by statute.
Because the conveyance tax falls on the seller, Connecticut buyers mainly face attorney, title and recording fees; budget about 2% to 3% of the price, and expect an attorney at the closing table by local practice.
Three Connecticut rules to read before signing
Prepayment. Connecticut prohibits prepayment penalties on high-cost and nonprime home loans under its Abusive Home Loan Lending Practices Act, and the banking statutes require any penalty on other residential loans to be disclosed in the note; there is no flat ban on prime first mortgages, so the federal qualified-mortgage three-year limit is usually the operative cap. The federal ability-to-repay rule caps penalties tightly and bans them on adjustable or higher-priced loans.
Spouses and title. Connecticut is a separate-property state with equitable distribution at divorce and no dower, curtesy or statutory homestead joinder requirement, so a spouse who is not on title generally does not need to sign the mortgage.
Homestead. Connecticut’s homestead exemption jumped from $75,000 to $250,000 of equity per owner in October 2021 (Conn. Gen. Stat. § 52-352b, Public Act 21-161), one of the largest increases any state has enacted; it protects the owner-occupied residence from most judgment creditors but not from a consensual mortgage, tax liens or liens for child support.
The complete state layer — licensing, predatory-lending limits, disclosures, foreclosure — is on mortgage laws in Connecticut.
Frequently asked questions
What is the conforming loan limit in Connecticut for 2026?
There is no single Connecticut number: 3 of the state’s 9 counties are FHFA high-cost areas in 2026, with one-unit limits between $851,000 and $977,500 (Greater Bridgeport Planning Region, Western Connecticut Planning Region); the other 6 use the $832,750 baseline. Above your county’s limit, the loan is jumbo.
When can I cancel PMI on a conventional loan in Connecticut?
Two thresholds apply everywhere, including Connecticut: you may ask at 80% loan-to-value (original value, good payment history) and the servicer must stop charging at 78%. Scheduled payments on a $408,500 loan at 6.5% reach 80% of a $430,000 price after about 10 years and 4 months. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac also allow cancellation on a new appraisal after enough seasoning.
Does Connecticut add anything to a conventional loan’s closing costs?
Connecticut has no mortgage recording tax or intangible tax on the note. Connecticut’s conveyance tax is 0.75% of the price up to $800,000 and 1.25% above (2.25% on the portion over $2.5 million), plus a municipal tax of 0.25% (0.5% in certain eligible towns). Because the conveyance tax falls on the seller, Connecticut buyers mainly face attorney, title and recording fees; budget about 2% to 3% of the price, and expect an attorney at the closing table by local practice.
Check it at the source (Connecticut)
- Connecticut Housing Finance Authority (CHFA): the state housing finance agency (first-time buyer loans, down payment assistance)
- Connecticut Department of Banking: state regulator of mortgage lenders and brokers
- NMLS Consumer Access: check any lender’s or loan officer’s license
- FHFA conforming loan limit files: the county limits shown on this page
Links checked September 22, 2026. Foreclosure type checked against Conn. Gen. Stat. § 49-24 (foreclosure by the court, by sale or strict foreclosure) and housing agency against its official site. Researched and edited by Clément Lacaille (Tech-Bharat); how we research.
Sources
Related: USDA vs VA vs FHA vs conventional: the four loan types compared, 2026 conforming loan limits: $832,750 in most counties, up to $1,249,125 in high-cost areas, 30-year vs 15-year mortgage: the real trade-off, with the numbers, ARM vs fixed-rate mortgage: when an adjustable rate makes sense. First home in Connecticut: programs and assistance. Hub: Conventional loan.