Home equity by state: how much can you borrow in 2026?
We ranked all 51 U.S. states (plus D.C.) by HELOC borrowing power — how much a homeowner could tap from their equity, based on typical local home values.
Key findings
- Hawaii homeowners have the most borrowing power — about $240,764 available as a HELOC on a typical $830,219 home.
- West Virginia has the least, near $50,714.
- The typical U.S. homeowner could access about $106,777 (national typical home $368,198, 85% CLTV cap, after a typical mortgage).
Illustrative scenario — assumes a homeowner owes about 56% of their home’s value and a lender CLTV cap of 85%. See methodology below.
HELOC borrowing power by state (ranked)
Available HELOC = (home value × 85%) − a typical mortgage. Tap any state for its own calculator.
| # | State | Typical home | Max at 85% CLTV | Available HELOC |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hawaii | $830,219 | $705,686 | $240,764 |
| 2 | California | $776,233 | $659,798 | $225,108 |
| 3 | Massachusetts | $661,755 | $562,492 | $191,909 |
| 4 | Washington | $604,087 | $513,474 | $175,185 |
| 5 | District of Columbia | $580,439 | $493,373 | $168,327 |
| 6 | New Jersey | $571,373 | $485,667 | $165,698 |
| 7 | Colorado | $543,271 | $461,780 | $157,549 |
| 8 | Utah | $540,993 | $459,844 | $156,888 |
| 9 | New Hampshire | $510,709 | $434,103 | $148,106 |
| 10 | New York | $510,449 | $433,882 | $148,030 |
| 11 | Rhode Island | $504,793 | $429,074 | $146,390 |
| 12 | Oregon | $501,661 | $426,412 | $145,482 |
| 13 | Idaho | $477,506 | $405,880 | $138,477 |
| 14 | Montana | $467,919 | $397,731 | $135,697 |
| 15 | Nevada | $447,225 | $380,141 | $129,695 |
| 16 | Connecticut | $441,466 | $375,246 | $128,025 |
| 17 | Maryland | $431,934 | $367,144 | $125,261 |
| 18 | Arizona | $423,746 | $360,184 | $122,886 |
| 19 | Virginia | $414,320 | $352,172 | $120,153 |
| 20 | Maine | $412,608 | $350,717 | $119,656 |
| 21 | Delaware | $405,836 | $344,961 | $117,692 |
| 22 | Vermont | $394,227 | $335,093 | $114,326 |
| 23 | Alaska | $390,107 | $331,591 | $113,131 |
| 24 | Florida | $376,504 | $320,028 | $109,186 |
| 25 | Wyoming | $363,685 | $309,132 | $105,469 |
| 26 | Minnesota | $350,891 | $298,257 | $101,758 |
| 27 | North Carolina | $337,273 | $286,682 | $97,809 |
| 28 | Tennessee | $334,075 | $283,964 | $96,882 |
| 29 | Wisconsin | $333,909 | $283,823 | $96,834 |
| 30 | Georgia | $333,559 | $283,525 | $96,732 |
| 31 | South Dakota | $319,255 | $271,367 | $92,584 |
| 32 | New Mexico | $317,474 | $269,853 | $92,067 |
| 33 | South Carolina | $305,174 | $259,398 | $88,500 |
| 34 | Texas | $302,187 | $256,859 | $87,634 |
| 35 | Illinois | $290,210 | $246,679 | $84,161 |
| 36 | North Dakota | $286,406 | $243,445 | $83,058 |
| 37 | Pennsylvania | $286,387 | $243,429 | $83,052 |
| 38 | Nebraska | $279,080 | $237,218 | $80,933 |
| 39 | Missouri | $265,398 | $225,588 | $76,965 |
| 40 | Michigan | $263,590 | $224,052 | $76,441 |
| 41 | Indiana | $256,584 | $218,096 | $74,409 |
| 42 | Kansas | $246,369 | $209,414 | $71,447 |
| 43 | Ohio | $244,844 | $208,117 | $71,005 |
| 44 | Alabama | $236,705 | $201,199 | $68,644 |
| 45 | Iowa | $234,891 | $199,657 | $68,118 |
| 46 | Kentucky | $232,231 | $197,396 | $67,347 |
| 47 | Arkansas | $222,300 | $188,955 | $64,467 |
| 48 | Oklahoma | $221,765 | $188,500 | $64,312 |
| 49 | Louisiana | $214,727 | $182,518 | $62,271 |
| 50 | Mississippi | $194,242 | $165,106 | $56,330 |
| 51 | West Virginia | $174,876 | $148,645 | $50,714 |
Methodology & sources
Home values are the Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI) — the typical value for a mid-tier home — as of April 2026, sourced via the Federal Reserve’s FRED database.
Maximum borrowing applies an 85% combined loan-to-value (CLTV) cap — the middle of the 80–90% range most lenders use for HELOCs and home equity loans. Available HELOC then subtracts a typical existing mortgage (about 56% of the home’s value) to estimate what a homeowner could still draw.
These are illustrative, state-level estimates for comparison — not an offer or a personal quote. Your actual borrowing power depends on your mortgage balance, credit score, income, debt-to-income ratio and a lender’s appraisal. Last reviewed June 2026.
Run your own numbers
These are state averages. Enter your home value and mortgage balance to see exactly how much you could borrow.
Open the HELOC calculator→Frequently asked questions
Which state has the most home equity to borrow against?+
Hawaii tops the list: with a typical home worth $830,219, a homeowner could borrow roughly $240,764 as a HELOC under the illustrative scenario (85% combined loan-to-value, a typical mortgage already owed). West Virginia sits at the bottom at about $50,714.
How much can the typical American borrow with a HELOC?+
The typical U.S. home is worth $368,198 (Zillow Home Value Index, April 2026). At an 85% combined loan-to-value cap, total borrowing tops out near $312,968; a homeowner who still owes a typical mortgage could access about $106,777 as a HELOC. Your own figure depends on your balance and credit.
Why does HELOC borrowing power differ by state?+
The borrowing math is the same nationwide — lenders cap your combined loan-to-value (mortgage + new line), usually at 80–90%. What differs is home values, which set how much equity you have. Higher-value states give homeowners a larger equity base to borrow against.
How is borrowing power calculated here?+
For each state we take the Zillow typical home value, apply an 85% combined loan-to-value cap to get the maximum total borrowing, then subtract a typical existing mortgage (about 56% of value) to estimate the HELOC still available. It's an illustrative figure — your actual limit depends on your mortgage balance, credit score, income and a lender's appraisal.