How much house can I afford on a $60,000 salary?
December 11, 2025
Comparisons
There are a lot of opinions on how this should look, so I'll give a few scenarios with estimates.
There's the minimum amount you'd need to qualify for a mortgage. (the lender)
There's the Dave Ramsey 25% of net take-home toward a mortgage.
and then there's somewhere in the middle, with 30% of your gross income.
This is assuming a 5% down payment and a 0.25% mortgage insurance factor for a conventional loan and $0 other debt.
This is also accounting for property taxes and homeowners insurance. So states with higher escrow (taxes/insurance) will see a lower max purchase amount.
part one lender minimum
State Max Purchase AL $351,225 AK $340,121 AZ $357,121 AR $339,485 CA $352,202 CO $348,549 CT $311,320 DE $358,149 FL $311,905 GA $326,360 HI $375,549 ID $360,636 IL $299,597 IN $338,166 IA $320,187 KS $307,802 KY $335,016 LA $289,426 ME $344,987 MD $343,853 MA $331,797 MI $321,094 MN $329,260 MS $327,080 MO $326,719 MT $334,967 NE $306,609 NV $355,566 NH $329,792 NJ $308,968 NM $341,929 NY $315,729 NC $339,595 ND $332,922 OH $315,373 OK $285,778 OR $344,567 PA $321,896 RI $326,567 SC $328,502 SD $330,613 TN $343,276 TX $269,893 UT $355,643 VT $326,804 VA $344,919 WA $346,348 WV $352,419 WI $330,834 WY $349,031
part two Dave Ramsey 25% net income rule
This factors in not just property taxes and homeowners insurance, but also state income tax rates, and an average contribution to a 401k.
State Max Purchase AL $111,342 AK $115,475 AZ $116,930 AR $103,229 CA $120,617 CO $110,493 CT $103,832 DE $121,596 FL $84,810 GA $98,158 HI $132,240 ID $121,365 IL $97,479 IN $111,070 IA $105,818 KS $91,203 KY $105,135 LA $55,529 ME $116,785 MD $115,374 MA $107,956 MI $101,450 MN $105,418 MS $93,183 MO $99,348 MT $107,596 NE $94,903 NV $117,510 NH $112,942 NJ $101,480 NM $108,033 NY $104,023 NC $105,113 ND $109,348 OH $103,906 OK $62,203 OR $116,643 PA $107,035 RI $103,525 SC $95,477 SD $107,571 TN $104,005 TX $51,782 UT $119,685 VT $110,954 VA $115,039 WA $117,589 WV $114,666 WI $110,673 WY $112,478
part three: 30% gross income rule
This is what a large majority of people will agree on, or at least around this amount. This doesn't take into account income tax. Just gross percentage of your income
State Max Purchase AL $197,727 AK $196,374 AZ $203,427 AR $188,308 CA $204,014 CO $196,221 CT $178,552 DE $206,782 FL $166,590 GA $180,337 HI $219,859 ID $207,530 IL $170,265 IN $192,851 IA $183,016 KS $169,203 KY $187,919 LA $139,759 ME $198,964 MD $197,653 MA $188,565 MI $180,547 MN $186,027 MS $177,413 MO $181,227 MT $189,476 NE $171,141 NV $203,238 NH $191,033 NJ $176,200 NM $192,262 NY $180,262 NC $189,553 ND $189,860 OH $180,058 OK $142,716 OR $198,722 PA $184,410 RI $183,846 SC $179,393 SD $187,891 TN $190,170 TX $130,327 UT $204,657 VT $188,685 VA $197,822 WA $199,969 WV $200,284 WI $189,957 WY $197,664
part 4: Combined so you can see it side by side
State Lender Min 30% Gross 25% Net AL $351,225 $197,727 $111,342 AK $340,121 $196,374 $115,475 AZ $357,121 $203,427 $116,930 AR $339,485 $188,308 $103,229 CA $352,202 $204,014 $120,617 CO $348,549 $196,221 $110,493 CT $311,320 $178,552 $103,832 DE $358,149 $206,782 $121,596 FL $311,905 $166,590 $84,810 GA $326,360 $180,337 $98,158 HI $375,549 $219,859 $132,240 ID $360,636 $207,530 $121,365 IL $299,597 $170,265 $97,479 IN $338,166 $192,851 $111,070 IA $320,187 $183,016 $105,818 KS $307,802 $169,203 $91,203 KY $335,016 $187,919 $105,135 LA $289,426 $139,759 $55,529 ME $344,987 $198,964 $116,785 MD $343,853 $197,653 $115,374 MA $331,797 $188,565 $107,956 MI $321,094 $180,547 $101,450 MN $329,260 $186,027 $105,418 MS $327,080 $177,413 $93,183 MO $326,719 $181,227 $99,348 MT $334,967 $189,476 $107,596 NE $306,609 $171,141 $94,903 NV $355,566 $203,238 $117,510 NH $329,792 $191,033 $112,942 NJ $308,968 $176,200 $101,480 NM $341,929 $192,262 $108,033 NY $315,729 $180,262 $104,023 NC $339,595 $189,553 $105,113 ND $332,922 $189,860 $109,348 OH $315,373 $180,058 $103,906 OK $285,778 $142,716 $62,203 OR $344,567 $198,722 $116,643 PA $321,896 $184,410 $107,035 RI $326,567 $183,846 $103,525 SC $328,502 $179,393 $95,477 SD $330,613 $187,891 $107,571 TN $343,276 $190,170 $104,005 TX $269,893 $130,327 $51,782 UT $355,643 $204,657 $119,685 VT $326,804 $188,685 $110,954 VA $344,919 $197,822 $115,039 WA $346,348 $199,969 $117,589 WV $352,419 $200,284 $114,666 WI $330,834 $189,957 $110,673 WY $349,031 $197,664 $112,478
Hopefully this helps!