How much money do I need to make to buy a $300,000 house? (2025)
December 11, 2025
Comparisons
So there are a strong opinions on what this should look like, so I'll give you a few charts.
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.
Part 1: Minimum for a lender
State Lender Min AL $51,993 AK $53,303 AZ $51,083 AR $53,733 CA $51,548 CO $52,353 CT $57,954 DE $50,783 FL $58,034 GA $55,669 HI $48,357 ID $50,498 IL $60,075 IN $53,698 IA $56,469 KS $58,649 KY $54,289 LA $61,695 ME $52,608 MD $52,803 MA $54,674 MI $56,399 MN $55,099 MS $55,659 MO $55,594 MT $54,234 NE $58,830 NV $51,248 NH $54,849 NJ $58,379 NM $53,278 NY $57,214 NC $53,668 ND $54,479 OH $57,274 OK $62,385 OR $52,668 PA $56,179 RI $55,534 SC $55,414 SD $54,854 TN $53,218 TX $65,176 UT $51,158 VT $55,344 VA $52,673 WA $52,403 WV $51,733 WI $54,749 WY $52,228
Part 2: The minimum income needed for the Ramsey 25% net take-home 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 25% net AL $115,517 AK $112,195 AZ $112,248 AR $119,384 CA $117,131 CO $115,675 CT $128,762 DE $112,828 FL $122,153 GA $123,684 HI $109,881 ID $113,456 IL $133,473 IN $116,967 IA $125,462 KS $130,306 KY $120,617 LA $135,566 ME $118,197 MD $117,973 MA $121,473 MI $124,270 MN $124,492 MS $123,662 MO $123,517 MT $121,849 NE $130,706 NV $107,869 NH $115,448 NJ $131,163 NM $117,719 NY $128,545 NC $118,909 ND $117,768 OH $125,164 OK $138,606 OR $119,677 PA $122,197 RI $123,384 SC $123,117 SD $115,458 TN $112,016 TX $137,185 UT $113,662 VT $124,343 VA $117,028 WA $110,301 WV $114,939 WI $122,046 WY $109,932
Part 3: The 30%-of-your-gross 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 30% gross AL $86,638 AK $88,821 AZ $85,121 AR $89,538 CA $85,896 CO $87,238 CT $96,571 DE $84,621 FL $96,705 GA $92,763 HI $80,580 ID $84,146 IL $100,105 IN $89,480 IA $94,096 KS $97,730 KY $90,463 LA $102,805 ME $87,663 MD $87,988 MA $91,105 MI $93,980 MN $91,813 MS $92,746 MO $92,638 MT $90,371 NE $98,030 NV $85,396 NH $91,396 NJ $97,280 NM $88,780 NY $95,338 NC $89,430 ND $90,780 OH $95,438 OK $103,955 OR $87,763 PA $93,613 RI $92,538 SC $92,338 SD $91,405 TN $88,680 TX $108,605 UT $85,246 VT $92,221 VA $87,771 WA $87,321 WV $86,205 WI $91,230 WY $87,030
Part 4: combined so you can see it all side by side
State 25% net 30% Gross Lender Min AL $115,517 $86,638 $51,993 AK $112,195 $88,821 $53,303 AZ $112,248 $85,121 $51,083 AR $119,384 $89,538 $53,733 CA $117,131 $85,896 $51,548 CO $115,675 $87,238 $52,353 CT $128,762 $96,571 $57,954 DE $112,828 $84,621 $50,783 FL $122,153 $96,705 $58,034 GA $123,684 $92,763 $55,669 HI $109,881 $80,580 $48,357 ID $113,456 $84,146 $50,498 IL $133,473 $100,105 $60,075 IN $116,967 $89,480 $53,698 IA $125,462 $94,096 $56,469 KS $130,306 $97,730 $58,649 KY $120,617 $90,463 $54,289 LA $135,566 $102,805 $61,695 ME $118,197 $87,663 $52,608 MD $117,973 $87,988 $52,803 MA $121,473 $91,105 $54,674 MI $124,270 $93,980 $56,399 MN $124,492 $91,813 $55,099 MS $123,662 $92,746 $55,659 MO $123,517 $92,638 $55,594 MT $121,849 $90,371 $54,234 NE $130,706 $98,030 $58,830 NV $107,869 $85,396 $51,248 NH $115,448 $91,396 $54,849 NJ $131,163 $97,280 $58,379 NM $117,719 $88,780 $53,278 NY $128,545 $95,338 $57,214 NC $118,909 $89,430 $53,668 ND $117,768 $90,780 $54,479 OH $125,164 $95,438 $57,274 OK $138,606 $103,955 $62,385 OR $119,677 $87,763 $52,668 PA $122,197 $93,613 $56,179 RI $123,384 $92,538 $55,534 SC $123,117 $92,338 $55,414 SD $115,458 $91,405 $54,854 TN $112,016 $88,680 $53,218 TX $137,185 $108,605 $65,176 UT $113,662 $85,246 $51,158 VT $124,343 $92,221 $55,344 VA $117,028 $87,771 $52,673 WA $110,301 $87,321 $52,403 WV $114,939 $86,205 $51,733 WI $122,046 $91,230 $54,749 WY $109,932 $87,030 $52,228
Hopefully this helps!