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Affordability calculator

How Much House Can I Afford?

Enter your income, debts and savings. We work backward from the full monthly payment, including tax, insurance and PMI, to the highest price that fits three common debt-to-income limits.
  • Common DTI guidelines
  • Your inputs stay in your browser
  • Estimates only, not a lender

Enter a ZIP code to use that area's property tax rate.

Before taxes. Include all household income that will be on the loan.

Minimum payments on car loans, student loans and credit cards. Don't include rent, utilities or groceries.

Keep some savings for closing costs and moving. They are not included here.

Loan term

Starts at the Freddie Mac weekly national average as of October 1, 2026: 7.28% (30-year). Enter your quoted rate for an accurate result.

Taxes, insurance and HOA

Placeholder: percent of home price. Enter a ZIP for the local rate.

Placeholder estimate.

Enter 0 if none.

Standard price estimate

$0

  • Comfortable$0

    25% of income on housing, 33% in total debts

  • Standard$0

    28% of income on housing, 36% in total debts

  • Stretch$0

    31% of income on housing, 43% in total debts

What would raise your standard price

    Standard price

    $0

    See range

    How the estimate works

    Each level sets two limits as a share of your gross monthly income: one for the housing payment alone and one for housing plus your other monthly debts. The lower of the two is your monthly housing budget. We then find the highest home price whose full payment fits that budget.

    LevelHousing limitTotal debt limit
    comfortable25%33%
    standard28%36%
    stretch31%43%

    28% / 36% is the traditional conventional-loan guideline and 31% / 43% is the common FHA benchmark. The "comfortable" level is a more conservative planning guide. None of these are approvals.

    Worked example

    A household earning $100,000 a year with $400 in monthly debts and $60,000 for the down payment, at a 6.5% rate over 30 years: monthly income is $8,333, so the standard housing limit is $2,333 a month. The highest price whose full payment fits is about $341,000.

    Prices for every income from $40,000 to $250,000 are in how much house you can afford by salary. See the full methodology, or check a specific price in the mortgage calculator.

    Frequently asked questions

    What is debt-to-income (DTI) ratio?

    DTI compares your monthly debt payments to your gross monthly income. The front-end ratio counts only the housing payment. The back-end ratio adds all other monthly debts, such as car loans, student loans and credit card minimums. Lenders use both when deciding how much to lend.

    How much of my income should go to housing?

    A traditional guideline is 28% of gross income for housing and 36% for all debts. FHA loans commonly use 31% and 43%. These are rules of thumb, and many lenders approve above or below them depending on credit score, savings and loan type. What you can afford comfortably also depends on your other expenses, which no ratio captures.

    Why does my lender's pre-approval differ from this estimate?

    A lender looks at your credit score, exact income and debts, savings, employment history and the specific loan program. This calculator uses only the numbers you enter plus placeholder estimates for property tax and insurance, so treat it as a starting point and not an approval.

    Does this include closing costs or an emergency fund?

    No. Closing costs, moving costs, repairs and a cash cushion all come out of your savings, so keep some in reserve rather than putting every dollar into the down payment.