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House Affordability Calculator

How much house you can afford on your income and debts.

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What each debt costs you in house price

Every 100 of monthly debt payment reduces the price you can afford by roughly this much.

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Maximum home price

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Loan amount—
Principal & interest—
Property tax—
Insurance & HOA—
Total housing payment—
Front-end ratio—
Back-end ratio—
Down payment—

Quick Tool Overview

The House Affordability Calculator works backwards from your income, debts and down payment to the price you can actually afford, applying the front-end and back-end debt-to-income ratios that lenders underwrite to, and telling you which of the two is the one limiting you.

What it does
Calculates the maximum home price your income supports
You give it
Gross income, monthly debts, down payment and a rate
You get back
A maximum price, the loan it implies and your DTI ratios
Best for
Setting a budget before you start viewing houses
Calculators Free, unlimited use No sign-up Runs in your browser

About the House Affordability Calculator

Enter your gross annual income, your monthly debt payments, your down payment and the rate you expect, and the calculator works backwards to the price you can afford. It applies the two ratios lenders use: a front-end limit on housing costs and a back-end limit on all debt.

Most people are limited by the back-end ratio rather than income alone, which is why a car payment can cost you far more house than its size suggests. The calculator shows which of the two rules is binding for you, so you know whether clearing a debt, saving a larger down payment or waiting for a better rate would move the number most. Property tax, insurance and HOA dues count inside the housing ratio, so they reduce what you can borrow.

Key features of the House Affordability Calculator

Both lender ratios applied

The 28 percent housing limit and the 36 percent total debt limit are calculated separately and the tighter one wins.

Shows which rule binds you

Knowing whether income or existing debt is the constraint tells you what to fix first.

Debts priced in house terms

See how much house a car payment is costing you, which is usually far more than its size suggests.

Full housing cost, not just the loan

Property tax, insurance and HOA dues sit inside the ratio, so they reduce what you can borrow.

Adjustable DTI limits

Stretch the back-end ratio to 43 percent or beyond to match a specific lender programme.

How to use the House Affordability Calculator

  1. 1

    Enter your income

    Gross annual household income before tax, including any income a co-borrower brings.

  2. 2

    List your monthly debts

    Car loans, student loans, credit card minimums and any other recurring payments.

  3. 3

    Set your down payment and rate

    The cash you have available and the interest rate you expect to be offered.

  4. 4

    Read the affordable price

    The calculator shows the maximum price, the loan it implies and which ratio limits you.

Frequently asked questions

A common guideline is 28 percent of gross income for housing costs and 36 percent for total debt, though many lenders stretch to 43 percent or more on the back-end ratio for strong applicants.

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