Here's How Much Money You Need To Make To Buy A Home (2024)

FAQs

Here's How Much Money You Need To Make To Buy A Home? ›

Now, Americans must earn roughly $106,500 in order to comfortably afford a typical home, a significant increase from the $59,000 annual household income that put homeownership within reach for families in 2020, according to new research from digital real estate company Zillow.

For someone earning $70,000 a year, or about $5,800 a month, this means a housing expense of up to $1,624. However, your specific situation may allow you to comfortably spend more or require you to spend less. Generally, allocating 25% to 40% of your income on housing is a reasonable range.

On a salary of $36,000 per year, you can afford a house priced around $100,000-$110,000 with a monthly payment of just over $1,000. This assumes you have no other debts you're paying off, but also that you haven't been able to save much for a down payment.

Bankrate's key takeaways on housing affordability

To afford a median-priced home of $402,343, Americans need an annual income of $110,871, up 46 percent since the start of 2020. Americans must earn at least $100,000 annually to afford a median-priced home in 22 states and the District of Columbia.

That amounts to $15,600 annually on mortgage payments. Housing-affordability guidelines suggest spending no more than about one-third of your income on housing. So, by tripling the $15,600 annual total, you'll find that you'd need to earn at least $46,800 a year to afford the monthly payments on a $200,000 home.

An individual earning $60,000 a year may buy a home worth ranging from $180,000 to over $300,000. That's because your wage isn't the only factor that affects your house purchase budget. Your credit score, existing debts, mortgage rates, and a variety of other considerations must all be taken into account.

If you want to have a minimalist lifestyle, 36k/year is more then enough. If you want a home, family, car, insurance and some "toys", it's not going to be enough, at least in a majority of places in the U.S. But again, the term "decent" is pretty objective.

For example, if you make $3,000 a month ($36,000 a year), you can afford a mortgage with a monthly payment no higher than $1,080 ($3,000 x 0.36). Your total household expense should not exceed $1,290 a month ($3,000 x 0.43). How much house can I afford with an FHA loan?

What is the lowest income to buy a house? ›

Even though a lender takes a look at your income stream when you buy a home, there's no set income requirement to buy a home. A mortgage preapproval is a good first step to learn how much you can afford to spend on a home.

The required credit score to buy a $300K house typically ranges from 580 to 720 or higher, depending on the type of loan. For an FHA loan, the minimum credit score is usually around 580.

For a conventional mortgage in California, you typically need a minimum score of at least 600. If you qualify for certain government-backed loans, however, you may be able to buy a home with a score as low as 500.

Conventional mortgages, like the traditional 30-year fixed rate mortgage, usually require at least a 5% down payment. If you're buying a home for $200,000, in this case, you'll need $10,000 to secure a home loan.

A person who makes $50,000 a year might be able to afford a house worth anywhere from $180,000 to nearly $300,000. That's because your annual salary isn't the only variable that determines your home buying budget. You also have to consider your credit score, current debts, mortgage rates, and many other factors.

As far as the simple math goes, a $200,000 home loan at a 7% interest rate on a 30-year term will give you a $1,330.60 monthly payment. That $200K monthly mortgage payment includes the principal and interest.

“Individuals with a salary of $75,000 a year should aim for a home price ranging from $150,000 to $225,000, which would yield a mortgage payment of $998 to $1,497,” said Miles, who cautioned to budget for costs beyond the loan itself.

On a salary of $65,000 per year, as long as you have very little debt, you can afford a house priced at around $175,000 with a monthly payment of $1,517 with no down payment. This number assumes a 6% interest rate and a standard debt-to-income (DTI) ratio of 36%.

An income of $70,000 surpasses both the median incomes for individuals and for households. By that standard, $70,000 is a good salary.

Following the 28/36 rule, with your $80,000 income, you want your monthly housing payments to stay below $1,866. If we assume a 30-year loan at 6.5 percent interest, with a traditional 20 percent down payment, that means you can likely afford a home of about $310,000.