Home Affordability Calculator
Estimate the home price you can afford based on your income, debts, and down payment, using standard debt-to-income limits for housing and total debt. Calculates privately in your browser.
Home you can afford
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Show the math
Your housing budget is the lower of the two debt-to-income caps:
budget = min(income × front%, income × back% − debts) ÷ 12
Lenders limit housing costs to a share of gross income (the front-end ratio, often 28%) and all debt to a larger share (the back-end ratio, often 36%). The tool takes the lower limit, removes taxes and insurance, and works back from the remaining payment to the loan and price you can support.
What this does
A home affordability calculator estimates the price you can responsibly afford from your income, monthly debts, and down payment. It applies standard debt-to-income limits to work back to a sustainable loan and purchase price.
How to use it
- Enter your gross monthly income and existing debt payments.
- Enter your down payment and an interest rate.
- Adjust the DTI limits if your lender differs.
- Read the home price and loan you can support.
How it works
Lenders cap your housing payment at a share of gross income (often 28%) and total debt at a larger share (often 36%). The tool takes the lower limit, subtracts taxes and insurance, and converts the affordable payment back into a loan amount and price.
Understanding your result
The result is deliberately conservative, because DTI limits keep payments sustainable. Lenders may stretch them, but borrowing the maximum leaves little room for the unexpected.
Example
On $7,000 gross monthly income with $500 of other debt, a 28%/36% limit allows roughly $1,960 for housing, supporting a loan near $310,000 at 6.5% before taxes and insurance.
Sources & methodology
- Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, Owning a Home, Loan options and the homebuying process
- Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, Debt-to-Income Ratio, How lenders assess affordability
Last updated .
Frequently asked questions
How is affordability calculated?
Lenders cap your housing payment at a share of gross income (often 28%) and your total debt at a larger share (often 36%). The tool takes the lower limit, subtracts taxes and insurance, and works back to the loan and price you can support.
What are the 28/36 rules?
The front-end ratio (28%) limits housing costs to 28% of gross monthly income; the back-end ratio (36%) limits all debt payments to 36%. You can adjust both to match your lender.
Why does the result feel conservative?
DTI limits are deliberately cautious to keep payments sustainable. Lenders may stretch them, but borrowing the maximum leaves little room for the unexpected.
Is my income data stored?
No. Everything is calculated locally in your browser.
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