How Much House Can I Afford? (2026)
Enter your gross income, monthly debt payments, down payment, mortgage rate, and term. This calculator uses the widely cited 28/36 rule to estimate the home price and monthly payment you could realistically support. Everything runs in your browser; nothing is stored or sent anywhere.
Estimate updates as you type. PITI means principal, interest, taxes, and insurance. The lower of the two budget limits sets your affordable payment.
How the affordability estimate works
The calculator applies two limits from the 28/36 rule. First, it caps your housing payment at 28 percent of gross monthly income. Second, it caps all debt at 36 percent of gross monthly income, then subtracts your other monthly debt payments to see what is left for housing. It uses the lower of those two figures as your affordable monthly housing payment. From that, it removes the estimated monthly property tax and insurance, leaving the amount available for principal and interest. A standard fixed-rate mortgage formula converts that into a loan amount, and adding your down payment gives the home price you could afford.
Why the 28/36 rule matters
Lenders look at two ratios: the front-end ratio (housing cost vs. income) and the back-end ratio (all debt vs. income). Keeping housing near 28 percent and total debt near 36 percent is a conservative benchmark that leaves room for everyday expenses and saving. Carrying more existing debt lowers how much house you can afford, because the back-end limit binds sooner. A larger down payment raises your reachable price, since it is added on top of the loan you can support and lowers the monthly payment.
Common questions
Is this a mortgage pre-approval?
No. It is an educational estimate. A lender pre-approval reviews your credit, income documents, assets, and the specific loan program, and may arrive at a different number. Always get a real pre-approval before house hunting seriously.
Why does extra debt lower my home price so much?
The back-end 36 percent limit counts your car loans, student loans, and credit card minimums alongside the mortgage. Every dollar of existing monthly debt is a dollar less available for housing, which compounds into a much lower affordable loan amount over a long term.
Is my data saved?
No. The calculation runs entirely in your browser. Nothing you type is stored, transmitted, or shared.
Method: applies the 28/36 front-end and back-end ratios to gross monthly income, subtracts estimated monthly property tax and insurance, then converts the remaining principal-and-interest budget into a loan amount with the standard fixed-rate mortgage formula and adds the down payment. General references include published explainers on home affordability and the 28/36 rule from NerdWallet, Bankrate, Zillow, and Fannie Mae. This is educational information, not financial advice.