Home Affordability Calculator

Find out how much house you can afford based on your income, debts, and down payment. Based on the standard 28/36 debt-to-income guidelines.

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Car, student loans, credit cards, etc.
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Avg. ~1.1% nationally
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Maximum Home Price
Est. Monthly Payment
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Max Loan Amount
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Housing-to-Income Ratio
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Total Debt-to-Income Ratio
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Budget Status

How Much House Can I Afford?

This calculator uses the standard 28/36 rule used by most mortgage lenders to determine how much home you can afford.

  • Front-end ratio — your housing costs (mortgage, taxes, insurance) should not exceed 28% of your gross monthly income
  • Back-end ratio — all monthly debt payments (housing + car, student loans, credit cards, etc.) should not exceed 36% of your gross monthly income

The lower of these two limits determines your maximum affordable monthly payment, which is then reverse-solved into a home price.

The 28/36 Rule Explained

Example: $100,000/year income = $8,333/month gross

  • Max housing payment (28%): $2,333/month
  • Max all debts (36%): $3,000/month
  • If you have $500/month in existing debts: max housing = $3,000 - $500 = $2,500/month
  • Your effective limit is the lower of $2,333 and $2,500 → $2,333/month

What Counts as Debt?

Include all regular monthly obligations:

  • Car loans and leases
  • Student loan payments
  • Minimum credit card payments
  • Personal loan payments
  • Child support or alimony

Do not include utilities, groceries, or other living expenses.

What Isn’t Included Here

This calculator gives you a lender-guideline estimate. Your actual approval depends on:

  • Credit score — scores below 620 may limit your options; 740+ gets the best rates
  • Employment history — lenders want 2+ years of steady income
  • Asset reserves — many lenders want 2–6 months of payments in savings
  • Loan type — FHA allows up to 43% DTI; some conventional loans allow up to 50%