Home Affordability Calculator

How much house can you afford? This uses the lender's 28/36 rule and full PITI — taxes, insurance, and PMI included — to find your real maximum home price.

$
Household pre-tax income.
$
Car, student, and personal loans + credit-card minimums.
$
Cash you'll put down. Under 20% of price adds PMI.
%
Annual rate for a fixed-rate loan.
Most buyers use a 30-year fixed.
%
Annual, as % of home value. US average ≈ 1.1%.
$
Yearly premium estimate.
$
If any. Counts toward your housing payment.
%
Annual, as % of loan. Typical 0.3–1.5%.
%
%
Maximum home price
$0
Max loan amount
$0
Down payment used
$0
Max monthly payment (PITI)
$0
Principal & interest
$0
Property tax
$0
Insurance
$0
HOA
$0

Enter your details to see your maximum home price.

Estimate only — a lender's actual approval depends on credit, reserves, and full underwriting.

How this home affordability calculator works

"How much house can I afford?" is really two questions: how large a monthly payment fits your budget, and what home price that payment buys once taxes and insurance are included. This calculator answers both using the 28/36 rule that lenders rely on, and the same full PITI model as our mortgage calculator — so the numbers line up.

It starts from your income and debts to find the largest monthly payment you'd qualify for, then works backward through the interest rate, property tax, insurance, and PMI to solve for the maximum home price. Your down payment is added on top of the loan you can support.

The 28/36 rule explained

The rule sets two ceilings on your debt-to-income (DTI) ratio:

Whichever limit is lower decides your maximum payment. If you carry little debt, the 28% front-end rule usually binds. If you have significant monthly debt, the 36% back-end rule takes over — which is why paying down a car loan can sometimes raise your home budget more than earning a raise. The calculator tells you which limit is binding for your situation.

Why PITI matters for affordability

Many "how much can I afford" tools only consider principal and interest, which badly overstates your budget. Property taxes and insurance are part of the payment your lender qualifies you on, and they can add several hundred dollars a month. A home with a high property-tax rate supports a lower purchase price at the same monthly limit. Because this calculator uses full PITI — and adds PMI automatically when your down payment is under 20% — the maximum price it shows is one a lender would actually recognize.

Qualifying vs. comfortable

The 28/36 rule is an upper bound, not a target. Just because you qualify for a payment doesn't mean it leaves room for retirement savings, emergencies, maintenance, and the rest of life. Owning also brings costs the rule ignores: repairs, higher utilities, and furnishing. Many buyers are happier targeting a payment below the maximum. Treat the result here as a ceiling, then decide how far below it you want to live.

Put your number to work

Once you know your max price, run the details through our mortgage calculator to see the full monthly breakdown and how PMI falls off as you build equity. Check that the payment fits your real take-home pay — the 28/36 rule uses gross income, but you live on net. And the guide how PMI works explains how a larger down payment can either lower your payment or raise the price you can afford.

Frequently asked questions

What is the 28/36 rule?
The 28/36 rule is a common guideline lenders use. It says your housing payment (PITI) should not exceed 28% of your gross monthly income (the front-end ratio), and your total debt payments — housing plus car loans, student loans, and minimum credit card payments — should not exceed 36% (the back-end ratio). This calculator applies the lower of the two limits.
How much house can I afford on my salary?
It depends on far more than salary: your existing debts, down payment, interest rate, property tax rate, and insurance all change the answer. Enter them here and the calculator solves for the maximum home price that keeps you within the 28/36 limits, including full PITI.
Does this include property tax, insurance, and PMI?
Yes. It uses full PITI: principal and interest, property tax, homeowners insurance, and PMI when your down payment is under 20%. This matters because taxes and insurance can add hundreds of dollars a month, which lowers the price you can afford compared with a principal-and-interest-only estimate.
What counts as monthly debts in the back-end ratio?
Recurring minimum debt payments: car loans, student loans, personal loans, and the minimum payments on credit cards. It does not include things like utilities, groceries, or insurance that isn't part of the mortgage. Higher monthly debts directly reduce how much home you can afford.
Should I borrow the maximum I qualify for?
Usually not. Qualifying for a payment is not the same as it being comfortable. The 28/36 rule is an upper bound; many people are happier targeting a lower payment that leaves room for savings, emergencies, and the non-mortgage costs of owning a home. Treat the result as a ceiling, not a goal.

Related calculators & guides

Mortgage Calculator Full PITI breakdown once you've picked a price. Paycheck Calculator Check the take-home pay behind your housing budget. Guide: How PMI Works Why under 20% down adds PMI — and how to drop it.