Rent Affordability
Estimate the maximum rent you can comfortably afford using the classic 30%-of-gross-income rule. Enter your annual salary before tax to get a monthly ceiling.
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Worked example
Max rent/mo: $1,500.00
How it’s solved
Worked on the example above, step by step — follow along and you can do it on paper next time, no tool required.
- A common guideline caps rent at 30% of gross monthly income.
- Monthly income × 30%
$60,000.00 ÷ 12 × 0.3 = $1,500.00
Learn the method
Inputs
- Gross $/yr
60000
Frequently asked
Why 30%?
The 30% rule is a long-standing guideline for keeping housing affordable relative to gross income; some markets push higher, but 30% leaves room for everything else.
Is this gross or net income?
Gross — your income before taxes. Landlords typically screen against gross income.