How much house can I afford with $250,000 income?

Using the 28/36 rule: conservative target $890,000 (28% of gross to housing only), aggressive ceiling $835,000 (36% to total debt). Recommended middle: $865,000 — leaves room for emergencies and lifestyle.

What's the monthly payment at this price?

At $865,000 home price with 20% down ($173,000) at 7% for 30 years: PITI is $5,685/month. Breakdown: P&I $4,604, taxes $721, insurance $360.

What's my debt-to-income (DTI) ratio?

Housing DTI: 27% (target <28%). Total DTI: 37% (target <36%). Most lenders cap DTI at 36-43% depending on loan type. FHA allows up to 50% in some cases; conventional is stricter.

Is this realistic in today's market?

In 2026, US median home price is ~$420K and 30-year mortgage rates hover 6.5-7.5%. The $865,000 target above assumes 7% rate. In high-cost-of-living markets (Bay Area, NYC, Boston), the same income buys ~30-40% less. In low-COL areas (Midwest, Sun Belt suburbs), the same income often buys MORE than the 28/36 rule suggests.

Affordability scenario · Verified 2026-05-27

How much house can I afford on $250K salary?

Recommended home price: $865,000 using the 28/36 rule. Conservative ceiling: $890,000. Aggressive ceiling: $835,000. Monthly PITI at recommended: $5,685 (27% of gross income).

Recommended price

$865,000

Monthly PITI

$5,685

Down payment

$173,000

Housing DTI

27%

Monthly cost breakdown at $865,000

Component	Monthly	Annual
Principal & interest	$4,604	$55,248
Property tax (1% assumed)	$721	$8,652
Homeowners insurance (0.5%)	$360	$4,320
Total PITI	$5,685	$68,220

Run variations

The 28/36 rule explained

Standard lender affordability rule used by most US mortgage underwriters:

28%: Housing payment (PITI) should not exceed 28% of gross monthly income. For $250,000 income, that's $5,833/month max.
36%: Total debt payments (housing + car loan + student loans + credit card minimums) should not exceed 36% of gross income. For your scenario: $7,500 − $2,000 existing debt = $5,500 available for housing.
Below 28%/36% gives you breathing room. Above signals stress.

Related affordability scenarios

How much house can I afford on $50K salary?

→ Recommended $155,000 · PITI $1,203/mo

How much house can I afford on $60K salary?

→ Recommended $180,000 · PITI $1,397/mo

How much house can I afford on $75K salary?

→ Recommended $235,000 · PITI $1,739/mo

How much house can I afford on $80K salary?

→ Recommended $290,000 · PITI $1,906/mo

Full interactive calculator

How much house can I afford

Plug in your specific income, debts, down payment, and rate to get a personalized recommendation. Includes opportunity cost analysis (buy vs invest the difference).

Open the calculator →

Educational tool. Assumes property tax 1% and insurance 0.5% of home value annually (national averages — your state may differ). Math validated against Fannie Mae and Zillow affordability calculators. Verified 2026-05-27.