How much house can I afford on a $80,000 salary?
I'm posting as much educational content as I can about buying a home for the first time. Check it out at r/NewbHomebuyer.
There are a lot of opinions on how this should look, so I'll give a few scenarios with estimates.
There's the lender's max approval. This is the lender viewpoint based on a 49.99% debt to income ratio and assuming no other monthly debts.
There's the Dave Ramsey 25 percent of net take home income rule.
And then there's somewhere in the middle, with 30 percent of your gross income.
This is assuming a 5 percent down payment and a 0.25 percent mortgage insurance factor for a conventional loan and zero other debt.
This also factors in state by state differences in property taxes and homeowners insurance. States with higher escrow payments will see a lower maximum purchase amount.
Below are the tables for an $80,000 salary.
part one lender minimum
| State | Lender Max |
|---|---|
| AL | $468,300 |
| AK | $453,495 |
| AZ | $476,161 |
| AR | $452,647 |
| CA | $469,603 |
| CO | $464,732 |
| CT | $415,093 |
| DE | $477,532 |
| FL | $415,873 |
| GA | $435,147 |
| HI | $500,732 |
| ID | $480,848 |
| IL | $399,463 |
| IN | $450,888 |
| IA | $426,916 |
| KS | $410,403 |
| KY | $446,688 |
| LA | $385,901 |
| ME | $459,983 |
| MD | $458,471 |
| MA | $442,396 |
| MI | $428,125 |
| MN | $439,013 |
| MS | $436,107 |
| MO | $435,625 |
| MT | $446,623 |
| NE | $408,812 |
| NV | $474,088 |
| NH | $439,723 |
| NJ | $411,957 |
| NM | $455,905 |
| NY | $420,972 |
| NC | $452,793 |
| ND | $443,896 |
| OH | $420,497 |
| OK | $381,037 |
| OR | $459,423 |
| PA | $429,195 |
| RI | $435,423 |
| SC | $438,003 |
| SD | $440,817 |
| TN | $457,701 |
| TX | $359,857 |
| UT | $474,191 |
| VT | $435,739 |
| VA | $459,892 |
| WA | $461,797 |
| WV | $469,892 |
| WI | $441,112 |
| WY | $465,375 |
part two: 25% net income (Dave Ramsey's rule)
| State | 25% Net |
|---|---|
| AL | $148,456 |
| AK | $153,967 |
| AZ | $155,907 |
| AR | $137,639 |
| CA | $160,823 |
| CO | $147,324 |
| CT | $138,443 |
| DE | $162,128 |
| FL | $113,080 |
| GA | $130,877 |
| HI | $176,320 |
| ID | $161,820 |
| IL | $129,972 |
| IN | $148,093 |
| IA | $141,091 |
| KS | $121,604 |
| KY | $140,180 |
| LA | $74,038 |
| ME | $155,713 |
| MD | $153,832 |
| MA | $143,941 |
| MI | $135,267 |
| MN | $140,557 |
| MS | $124,244 |
| MO | $132,464 |
| MT | $143,461 |
| NE | $126,537 |
| NV | $156,680 |
| NH | $150,589 |
| NJ | $135,307 |
| NM | $144,044 |
| NY | $138,697 |
| NC | $140,151 |
| ND | $145,797 |
| OH | $138,541 |
| OK | $82,937 |
| OR | $155,524 |
| PA | $142,713 |
| RI | $138,033 |
| SC | $127,303 |
| SD | $143,428 |
| TN | $138,673 |
| TX | $69,043 |
| UT | $159,580 |
| VT | $147,939 |
| VA | $153,385 |
| WA | $156,786 |
| WV | $152,888 |
| WI | $147,564 |
| WY | $149,971 |
part three: 30% gross income (somewhere in between)
| State | 30% Gross |
|---|---|
| AL | $263,636 |
| AK | $261,832 |
| AZ | $271,236 |
| AR | $251,077 |
| CA | $272,019 |
| CO | $261,628 |
| CT | $238,070 |
| DE | $275,709 |
| FL | $222,120 |
| GA | $240,450 |
| HI | $293,145 |
| ID | $276,707 |
| IL | $227,020 |
| IN | $257,135 |
| IA | $244,021 |
| KS | $225,604 |
| KY | $250,559 |
| LA | $186,345 |
| ME | $265,285 |
| MD | $263,537 |
| MA | $251,420 |
| MI | $240,730 |
| MN | $248,036 |
| MS | $236,551 |
| MO | $241,636 |
| MT | $252,635 |
| NE | $228,188 |
| NV | $271,050 |
| NH | $254,711 |
| NJ | $234,933 |
| NM | $256,349 |
| NY | $240,349 |
| NC | $252,737 |
| ND | $253,147 |
| OH | $240,077 |
| OK | $190,288 |
| OR | $264,963 |
| PA | $245,880 |
| RI | $245,128 |
| SC | $239,190 |
| SD | $250,521 |
| TN | $253,560 |
| TX | $173,769 |
| UT | $272,876 |
| VT | $251,580 |
| VA | $263,763 |
| WA | $266,625 |
| WV | $267,045 |
| WI | $253,276 |
| WY | $263,552 |
part four: All three side by side
| State | Lender Max | 30% Gross | 25% Net |
|---|---|---|---|
| AL | $468,300 | $263,636 | $148,456 |
| AK | $453,495 | $261,832 | $153,967 |
| AZ | $476,161 | $271,236 | $155,907 |
| AR | $452,647 | $251,077 | $137,639 |
| CA | $469,603 | $272,019 | $160,823 |
| CO | $464,732 | $261,628 | $147,324 |
| CT | $415,093 | $238,070 | $138,443 |
| DE | $477,532 | $275,709 | $162,128 |
| FL | $415,873 | $222,120 | $113,080 |
| GA | $435,147 | $240,450 | $130,877 |
| HI | $500,732 | $293,145 | $176,320 |
| ID | $480,848 | $276,707 | $161,820 |
| IL | $399,463 | $227,020 | $129,972 |
| IN | $450,888 | $257,135 | $148,093 |
| IA | $426,916 | $244,021 | $141,091 |
| KS | $410,403 | $225,604 | $121,604 |
| KY | $446,688 | $250,559 | $140,180 |
| LA | $385,901 | $186,345 | $74,038 |
| ME | $459,983 | $265,285 | $155,713 |
| MD | $458,471 | $263,537 | $153,832 |
| MA | $442,396 | $251,420 | $143,941 |
| MI | $428,125 | $240,730 | $135,267 |
| MN | $439,013 | $248,036 | $140,557 |
| MS | $436,107 | $236,551 | $124,244 |
| MO | $435,625 | $241,636 | $132,464 |
| MT | $446,623 | $252,635 | $143,461 |
| NE | $408,812 | $228,188 | $126,537 |
| NV | $474,088 | $271,050 | $156,680 |
| NH | $439,723 | $254,711 | $150,589 |
| NJ | $411,957 | $234,933 | $135,307 |
| NM | $455,905 | $256,349 | $144,044 |
| NY | $420,972 | $240,349 | $138,697 |
| NC | $452,793 | $252,737 | $140,151 |
| ND | $443,896 | $253,147 | $145,797 |
| OH | $420,497 | $240,077 | $138,541 |
| OK | $381,037 | $190,288 | $82,937 |
| OR | $459,423 | $264,963 | $155,524 |
| PA | $429,195 | $245,880 | $142,713 |
| RI | $435,423 | $245,128 | $138,033 |
| SC | $438,003 | $239,190 | $127,303 |
| SD | $440,817 | $250,521 | $143,428 |
| TN | $457,701 | $253,560 | $138,673 |
| TX | $359,857 | $173,769 | $69,043 |
| UT | $474,191 | $272,876 | $159,580 |
| VT | $435,739 | $251,580 | $147,939 |
| VA | $459,892 | $263,763 | $153,385 |
| WA | $461,797 | $266,625 | $156,786 |
| WV | $469,892 | $267,045 | $152,888 |
| WI | $441,112 | $253,276 | $147,564 |
| WY | $465,375 | $263,552 | $149,971 |
Hopefully this helps!
I'm posting as much educational content as I can about buying a home for the first time. Check it out at r/NewbHomebuyer
Posted Dec 6, 2025, 6:23 PM UTC