Home Comparisons 28% vs 36% rule for how much house you can afford 28% vs 36% rule for how much house you can afford
28% of income ($258,600 home): $1,866.67 a month. 36% of income, no other debt ($332,485 home): $2,400.00 a month.
Source: Income $80,000 a year, 10% down, 30 years at the 7.03% Freddie Mac average, estimated property tax; insurance not included . An average, not an offer.
Side by side
Balance remaining: 28% of income ($258,600 home) vs 36% of income, no other debt ($332,485 home) Loan balance at the end of each year for both options. 28% of income ($258,600 home) 36% of income, no other debt ($332,485 home) $0 $100k $200k $300k Start Year 15 Year 30 28% of income ($258,600 home), Start: $232.7k 28% of income ($258,600 home), Year 1: $230.4k 28% of income ($258,600 home), Year 2: $227.9k 28% of income ($258,600 home), Year 3: $225.2k 28% of income ($258,600 home), Year 4: $222.3k 28% of income ($258,600 home), Year 5: $219.2k 28% of income ($258,600 home), Year 6: $215.8k 28% of income ($258,600 home), Year 7: $212.2k 28% of income ($258,600 home), Year 8: $208.4k 28% of income ($258,600 home), Year 9: $204.3k 28% of income ($258,600 home), Year 10: $199.9k 28% of income ($258,600 home), Year 11: $195.1k 28% of income ($258,600 home), Year 12: $190k 28% of income ($258,600 home), Year 13: $184.6k 28% of income ($258,600 home), Year 14: $178.7k 28% of income ($258,600 home), Year 15: $172.5k 28% of income ($258,600 home), Year 16: $165.7k 28% of income ($258,600 home), Year 17: $158.5k 28% of income ($258,600 home), Year 18: $150.8k 28% of income ($258,600 home), Year 19: $142.5k 28% of income ($258,600 home), Year 20: $133.6k 28% of income ($258,600 home), Year 21: $124k 28% of income ($258,600 home), Year 22: $113.8k 28% of income ($258,600 home), Year 23: $102.8k 28% of income ($258,600 home), Year 24: $91k 28% of income ($258,600 home), Year 25: $78.4k 28% of income ($258,600 home), Year 26: $64.8k 28% of income ($258,600 home), Year 27: $50.3k 28% of income ($258,600 home), Year 28: $34.7k 28% of income ($258,600 home), Year 29: $17.9k 28% of income ($258,600 home), Year 30: $0 36% of income, no other debt ($332,485 home), Start: $299.2k 36% of income, no other debt ($332,485 home), Year 1: $296.2k 36% of income, no other debt ($332,485 home), Year 2: $293k 36% of income, no other debt ($332,485 home), Year 3: $289.5k 36% of income, no other debt ($332,485 home), Year 4: $285.8k 36% of income, no other debt ($332,485 home), Year 5: $281.8k 36% of income, no other debt ($332,485 home), Year 6: $277.5k 36% of income, no other debt ($332,485 home), Year 7: $272.9k 36% of income, no other debt ($332,485 home), Year 8: $267.9k 36% of income, no other debt ($332,485 home), Year 9: $262.6k 36% of income, no other debt ($332,485 home), Year 10: $257k 36% of income, no other debt ($332,485 home), Year 11: $250.9k 36% of income, no other debt ($332,485 home), Year 12: $244.3k 36% of income, no other debt ($332,485 home), Year 13: $237.3k 36% of income, no other debt ($332,485 home), Year 14: $229.8k 36% of income, no other debt ($332,485 home), Year 15: $221.7k 36% of income, no other debt ($332,485 home), Year 16: $213.1k 36% of income, no other debt ($332,485 home), Year 17: $203.8k 36% of income, no other debt ($332,485 home), Year 18: $193.9k 36% of income, no other debt ($332,485 home), Year 19: $183.2k 36% of income, no other debt ($332,485 home), Year 20: $171.8k 36% of income, no other debt ($332,485 home), Year 21: $159.5k 36% of income, no other debt ($332,485 home), Year 22: $146.3k 36% of income, no other debt ($332,485 home), Year 23: $132.2k 36% of income, no other debt ($332,485 home), Year 24: $117k 36% of income, no other debt ($332,485 home), Year 25: $100.8k 36% of income, no other debt ($332,485 home), Year 26: $83.3k 36% of income, no other debt ($332,485 home), Year 27: $64.6k 36% of income, no other debt ($332,485 home), Year 28: $44.6k 36% of income, no other debt ($332,485 home), Year 29: $23.1k 36% of income, no other debt ($332,485 home), Year 30: $0
Questions
Which has the lower monthly payment?
28% of income ($258,600 home), by $533.33 a month ($1,866.67 vs $2,400.00).
Which costs less overall?
28% of income ($258,600 home) saves $93,252 in interest ($326,382 vs $419,634).
What rates are these figures based on?
Income $80,000 a year, 10% down, 30 years at the 7.03% Freddie Mac average, estimated property tax; insurance not included.
Can I compare a different amount?
Yes: change the amount above and press Compare. The page recalculates with the same rates.
Sources
30-year fixed mortgage average: 7.03% . Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey (PMMS), series MORTGAGE30US, as of September 24, 2026; retrieved September 26, 2026.Property tax (median effective rate by state) . Tax Foundation, effective property tax rate on owner-occupied housing (Census ACS), Property Taxes by State, 2026 edition (2024 data). States not yet sourced use 0.78%, the median of the 32 state rates we have sourced, marked as an estimate.28/36 debt-to-income guideline . Lender guideline (Chase, Bankrate); CFPB debt-to-income guidance.
Numbers on this page last changed September 26, 2026. How they are calculated: methodology .