How Much House Can I Afford?
Reviewed: August 2026 · Every number below is computed, not guessed · 100% client-side
The short version: your budget is set by two numbers — 28% of gross monthly income for housing (the comfortable guideline) and 43% for all debt (the lender ceiling). Taxes, insurance, PMI, your debts, and the interest rate convert those percentages into a home price. The ladder below shows the answer at five income levels; open your salary for the full breakdown, scenario tables, and a calculator preset to your numbers.
The 2026 Salary Ladder (6.5% rate, ~7% down)
| Annual salary | Housing cap (28%) | Comfortable price | Lender max (~43% DTI) | Full breakdown |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $50,000 | $1,167/mo | $145,000 | $199,000 | $50k guide → |
| $60,000 | $1,400/mo | $177,000 | $243,000 | $60k guide → |
| $70,000 | $1,633/mo | $210,000 | $286,000 | $70k guide → |
| $80,000 | $1,867/mo | $243,000 | $330,000 | $80k guide → |
| $100,000 | $2,333/mo | $311,000 | $419,000 | $100k guide → |
Comfortable = 28/36 rule (CFPB qualified-mortgage guidance). Lender max = 43% back-end DTI with housing capped at 38% of gross. Assumes 1.1% property tax, $1,500/yr insurance, PMI 0.5% until 20% equity. Every salary page includes a calculator to change all of it.
How to Read Your Two Numbers
The comfortable price is where the payment leaves room for repairs (budget 1% of home value per year), retirement contributions, and ordinary life. The lender max is the ceiling an approval will actually support at 43% debt-to-income — legal, common, and tight. Lender pages that quote one big number are usually quoting the max. We show both because the right answer for most buyers sits between them, chosen deliberately.
Three inputs move the result more than people expect, in order: existing debt (every $400/month cuts $30,000–$45,000 of comfortable budget once you cross the 36% line), property tax by state (0.5% vs 2.2% swings the same salary by $50,000–$100,000), and the rate (each half point moves the budget ~8%). None are under your control on closing day — all are under your control on planning day.
Why Trust These Numbers
Every figure in the ladder is computed with the standard amortization formula used by lenders (worked in full on our mortgage calculator), with ratio guidance published by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and rate context from the Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey. There is no lead form on any of these pages, nothing to sign up for, and every calculator runs locally in your browser — your income never touches a server.