Kansas Mortgage Guide 2026
The same FHA limit and the same conforming limit apply in all 105 counties, and recording fees are fixed by statute rather than set locally, which leaves property taxes and program eligibility as the variables that actually move money.
Kansas loan limits by county
Kansas needs one row. Every county in the state carries the same 2026 FHA limit and the same conforming limit, because no Kansas county is designated high-cost.
| Counties | Conforming limit | FHA limit | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| All 105 Kansas counties | $832,750 | $541,287 | One-unit. Includes Johnson, Wyandotte, Sedgwick, Shawnee and Douglas |
FHA limits come from the HUD FHA Mortgage Limits lookup and conforming limits from FHFA. They are set by different agencies and are not interchangeable. Both reset each January.
Loan programs available in Kansas
The down payment and credit figures below are practical lender thresholds rather than published agency rules, and they are the same in every state.
| Program | Min down payment | Min credit score | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| FHA | 3.5% | 580 | Lower credit scores or limited savings |
| VA | 0% | No VA minimum (set by lender) | Eligible veterans and service members |
| USDA | 0% | No USDA minimum (640 is the automated-underwriting cutoff) | Rural Kansas within income limits |
| Conventional | 3–20% | Set by lender | Stronger credit, cancellable mortgage insurance |
FHA’s 3.5% and 580 are confirmable in HUD Handbook 4000.1. VA publishes no minimum credit score and USDA’s 640 is a GUS underwriting threshold rather than a program floor, which is why both are described here as lender practice.
Kansas Housing Resources Corporation
KHRC is the state housing agency and the source of the main first-time buyer benefit in Kansas.
| Program | What it provides |
|---|---|
| First Time Homebuyer Program | 0% interest second mortgage of 15% or 20% of purchase price, forgiven after 10 years |
| Home Loan Guarantee for Rural Kansas | Guarantees the loan amount above 80% of appraised value, up to 125% of value, capped at $100,000 per guarantee |
First Time Homebuyer assistance requires household income at or below 80% of area median income, and it cannot be used in Johnson County or within the Kansas City, Lawrence, Topeka or Wichita city limits. Those areas administer their own programs.
Program terms and the county income limit table are published by Kansas Housing Resources Corporation. See the Kansas first-time buyer guide for the full eligibility detail.
Kansas property taxes
Kansas property tax is levied locally, so what you pay depends on your school district and municipality rather than on a single state rate. The statewide figure below is an estimate derived from Census data, not a rate anyone charges.
The 1.29% figure is 2024 ACS median real estate taxes paid of $2,798 divided by a median home value of $217,200. It is a ratio of two medians — an estimated effective rate, not a statutory rate and not the median of individual households’ rates.
| Home value | Est. annual tax | Est. monthly escrow |
|---|---|---|
| $175,000 | ~$2,260 (Est.) | ~$188 (Est.) |
| $217,200 (state median) | ~$2,800 (Est.) | ~$233 (Est.) |
| $300,000 | ~$3,870 (Est.) | ~$323 (Est.) |
| $400,000 | ~$5,160 (Est.) | ~$430 (Est.) |
Estimates apply the 1.29% statewide figure and will not match any specific tax bill. Source figures from Census ACS 5-Year 2024, tables B25103 and B25077. Median taxes run $3,056 on homes with a mortgage and $2,432 on homes without one.
Kansas closing costs
Kansas repealed its mortgage registration fee effective January 1, 2019 and charges statutory recording fees instead. The practical effect is that the size of your loan no longer changes what it costs to record the mortgage.
| Fee | Amount | On a $250,000 purchase |
|---|---|---|
| Recording, first page | $17 | $17 |
| Recording, each additional page | $13 | Varies by document length |
| Mortgage release or assignment | $16 | $16 |
| Mortgage registration fee | $0 | $0 — repealed January 1, 2019 |
| Title insurance, lender policy | ~$900–$1,500 | Not set by the state |
Recording fees are set statewide by K.S.A. 28-115. See the Kansas closing costs guide for the full buyer and seller breakdown.
