How much home can I afford on $80k salary? (answered)
May 25, 2026
r/NewbHomebuyer
I write educational posts on buying your home for the first time. I even posted my homebuying book at r/NewbHomebuyer go check it out
I made a couple of charts so you can see different rules that some people would go by.
I'm factoring in property taxes and HOI by state averages which is why these numbers vary from state to state.
Average rate on mortgage news daily is 6.56% and I'm basing this on 5% down payment, .25% mortgage insurance factor and no other debts.
Part 1: Maximum home price by lender rule
This is the absolute ceiling a lender would approve you for at a 49.99% back-end DTI. Approvable doesn't mean affordable, it just means underwriting won't stop you at the door.
| State | Max Home Price |
|---|---|
| HI | $497,447 |
| AL | $482,904 |
| UT | $482,046 |
| NV | $480,854 |
| DE | $480,260 |
| WV | $479,567 |
| WY | $477,088 |
| ID | $475,502 |
| SC | $475,198 |
| AZ | $471,105 |
| TN | $469,373 |
| CO | $467,672 |
| CA | $467,243 |
| VA | $465,713 |
| WA | $464,209 |
| NC | $462,193 |
| OR | $462,004 |
| LA | $461,451 |
| MT | $459,792 |
| NM | $459,598 |
| IN | $459,240 |
| AR | $456,342 |
| KY | $456,294 |
| MS | $455,321 |
| GA | $453,038 |
| ND | $452,190 |
| MD | $451,055 |
| MO | $449,828 |
| AK | $448,679 |
| MA | $442,267 |
| MN | $441,999 |
| ME | $440,681 |
| PA | $433,187 |
| MI | $428,572 |
| OH | $427,625 |
| SD | $427,263 |
| RI | $426,830 |
| OK | $426,699 |
| FL | $426,191 |
| WI | $422,950 |
| IA | $420,529 |
| NY | $417,569 |
| VT | $414,268 |
| NH | $412,949 |
| KS | $410,109 |
| CT | $399,787 |
| NE | $398,042 |
| IL | $392,412 |
| NJ | $388,771 |
| TX | $387,124 |
Part 2: Maximum home price using the Ramsey 25% net rule
This one factors in property tax, homeowners insurance, state income tax, federal tax, FICA, and a 6% 401k contribution. State income tax is the big swing factor here, which is why two states with similar property taxes can land in very different spots.
| State | Max Home Price |
|---|---|
| NV | $174,707 |
| WY | $170,182 |
| WA | $168,660 |
| TN | $165,853 |
| UT | $164,305 |
| AK | $163,017 |
| WV | $160,731 |
| AZ | $160,683 |
| DE | $159,169 |
| ID | $158,616 |
| AL | $157,078 |
| IN | $155,396 |
| NC | $155,275 |
| VA | $154,662 |
| ND | $154,231 |
| SC | $152,980 |
| HI | $152,511 |
| PA | $150,960 |
| KY | $150,675 |
| NH | $150,035 |
| MD | $149,794 |
| CO | $149,330 |
| MT | $149,149 |
| NM | $147,456 |
| MO | $146,763 |
| OH | $146,688 |
| GA | $146,492 |
| OR | $145,749 |
| ME | $145,639 |
| MI | $145,451 |
| CA | $145,447 |
| MA | $145,418 |
| MS | $144,846 |
| SD | $143,565 |
| LA | $143,460 |
| AR | $140,368 |
| RI | $139,767 |
| WI | $136,556 |
| NY | $134,981 |
| IA | $134,921 |
| MN | $133,193 |
| VT | $132,993 |
| FL | $131,345 |
| IL | $129,122 |
| CT | $128,960 |
| OK | $120,855 |
| NJ | $120,358 |
| KS | $119,788 |
| TX | $117,041 |
| NE | $115,882 |
Part 3: Maximum home price at 30% of gross
A middle ground between the lender's max and Ramsey's 25% net rule. Same $80k gross income across every state, so the spread here only comes from property taxes and insurance.
| State | Max Home Price |
|---|---|
| HI | $291,844 |
| UT | $283,833 |
| NV | $283,131 |
| DE | $282,782 |
| WV | $281,354 |
| AL | $280,168 |
| ID | $279,476 |
| WY | $278,875 |
| SC | $276,740 |
| AZ | $274,356 |
| TN | $273,347 |
| WA | $273,331 |
| VA | $273,227 |
| CA | $273,121 |
| OR | $272,032 |
| NC | $270,169 |
| CO | $268,720 |
| MT | $267,768 |
| IN | $267,446 |
| NM | $266,647 |
| KY | $264,730 |
| MD | $264,627 |
| AK | $264,187 |
| ND | $263,341 |
| GA | $262,841 |
| LA | $262,499 |
| MS | $262,137 |
| MO | $260,979 |
| ME | $259,942 |
| AR | $259,593 |
| MA | $257,562 |
| MN | $256,437 |
| PA | $255,065 |
| MI | $251,437 |
| OH | $250,881 |
| RI | $249,498 |
| WI | $248,138 |
| NY | $244,085 |
| SD | $244,039 |
| IA | $243,980 |
| VT | $243,925 |
| NH | $243,148 |
| OK | $236,048 |
| FL | $235,767 |
| CT | $233,691 |
| KS | $230,386 |
| IL | $228,528 |
| NJ | $228,500 |
| NE | $224,558 |
| TX | $212,694 |
Part 4: Combined so you can see it all side by side
| State | Lender | 30% Gross | 25% Net |
|---|---|---|---|
| HI | $497,447 | $291,844 | $152,511 |
| AL | $482,904 | $280,168 | $157,078 |
| UT | $482,046 | $283,833 | $164,305 |
| NV | $480,854 | $283,131 | $174,707 |
| DE | $480,260 | $282,782 | $159,169 |
| WV | $479,567 | $281,354 | $160,731 |
| WY | $477,088 | $278,875 | $170,182 |
| ID | $475,502 | $279,476 | $158,616 |
| SC | $475,198 | $276,740 | $152,980 |
| AZ | $471,105 | $274,356 | $160,683 |
| TN | $469,373 | $273,347 | $165,853 |
| CO | $467,672 | $268,720 | $149,330 |
| CA | $467,243 | $273,121 | $145,447 |
| VA | $465,713 | $273,227 | $154,662 |
| WA | $464,209 | $273,331 | $168,660 |
| NC | $462,193 | $270,169 | $155,275 |
| OR | $462,004 | $272,032 | $145,749 |
| LA | $461,451 | $262,499 | $143,460 |
| MT | $459,792 | $267,768 | $149,149 |
| NM | $459,598 | $266,647 | $147,456 |
| IN | $459,240 | $267,446 | $155,396 |
| AR | $456,342 | $259,593 | $140,368 |
| KY | $456,294 | $264,730 | $150,675 |
| MS | $455,321 | $262,137 | $144,846 |
| GA | $453,038 | $262,841 | $146,492 |
| ND | $452,190 | $263,341 | $154,231 |
| MD | $451,055 | $264,627 | $149,794 |
| MO | $449,828 | $260,979 | $146,763 |
| AK | $448,679 | $264,187 | $163,017 |
| MA | $442,267 | $257,562 | $145,418 |
| MN | $441,999 | $256,437 | $133,193 |
| ME | $440,681 | $259,942 | $145,639 |
| PA | $433,187 | $255,065 | $150,960 |
| MI | $428,572 | $251,437 | $145,451 |
| OH | $427,625 | $250,881 | $146,688 |
| SD | $427,263 | $244,039 | $143,565 |
| RI | $426,830 | $249,498 | $139,767 |
| OK | $426,699 | $236,048 | $120,855 |
| FL | $426,191 | $235,767 | $131,345 |
| WI | $422,950 | $248,138 | $136,556 |
| IA | $420,529 | $243,980 | $134,921 |
| NY | $417,569 | $244,085 | $134,981 |
| VT | $414,268 | $243,925 | $132,993 |
| NH | $412,949 | $243,148 | $150,035 |
| KS | $410,109 | $230,386 | $119,788 |
| CT | $399,787 | $233,691 | $128,960 |
| NE | $398,042 | $224,558 | $115,882 |
| IL | $392,412 | $228,528 | $129,122 |
| NJ | $388,771 | $228,500 | $120,358 |
| TX | $387,124 | $212,694 | $117,041 |
None of these rules account for your actual lifestyle, but they give you a starting range to work with.
Sam
I write educational posts on buying your home for the first time. I even posted my homebuying book at r/NewbHomebuyer here's the book on reddit.
Originally shared by u/SamTMortgageBroker in r/NewbHomebuyer — view the original thread.