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Your $30k budget
- Monthly income
- $2,500
- Housing cap (28%)
- $700
- Comfortable
- $74,321
- Stretch
- $94,378
How other debts change your budget
| Other monthly debts | Max home price | Monthly payment |
|---|---|---|
| $0 | $84,349 | $700.00 |
| $250 | $77,664 | $650.00 |
| $500 | $46,139 | $400.00 |
| $1,000 | $0 | $0.00 |
On a $30k salary, by state
Property tax rates change your budget. Same income, same $12,000 down — max home price under the 28/36 rule:
| State | Property tax | Max home price |
|---|---|---|
| Hawaii | 0.27% | $90,609 |
| Alabama | 0.38% | $89,432 |
| Arizona | 0.43% | $88,907 |
| Idaho | 0.43% | $88,907 |
| South Carolina | 0.45% | $88,698 |
| Tennessee | 0.45% | $88,698 |
| Delaware | 0.47% | $88,490 |
| Nevada | 0.47% | $88,490 |
| Colorado | 0.49% | $88,283 |
| Utah | 0.49% | $88,283 |
| Arkansas | 0.52% | $87,976 |
| West Virginia | 0.52% | $87,976 |
| Louisiana | 0.53% | $87,875 |
| Wyoming | 0.57% | $87,467 |
| North Carolina | 0.61% | $87,065 |
| District of Columbia | 0.63% | $86,866 |
| New Mexico | 0.64% | $86,766 |
| Mississippi | 0.66% | $86,568 |
| Montana | 0.69% | $86,271 |
| California | 0.71% | $86,075 |
| Kentucky | 0.71% | $86,075 |
| Virginia | 0.71% | $86,075 |
| Georgia | 0.74% | $85,783 |
| Indiana | 0.74% | $85,783 |
| Florida | 0.75% | $85,687 |
| Oklahoma | 0.75% | $85,687 |
| Oregon | 0.78% | $85,396 |
| Missouri | 0.79% | $85,299 |
| Washington | 0.79% | $85,299 |
| Maine | 0.91% | $84,162 |
| Maryland | 0.95% | $83,790 |
| North Dakota | 0.96% | $83,697 |
| Massachusetts | 1% | $83,328 |
| South Dakota | 1.01% | $83,236 |
| Minnesota | 1.02% | $83,146 |
| Alaska | 1.06% | $82,782 |
| Rhode Island | 1.07% | $82,691 |
| Pennsylvania | 1.16% | $81,885 |
| Michigan | 1.18% | $81,708 |
| Ohio | 1.23% | $81,271 |
| Kansas | 1.25% | $81,096 |
| Wisconsin | 1.25% | $81,096 |
| Iowa | 1.29% | $80,749 |
| Texas | 1.31% | $80,578 |
| Nebraska | 1.42% | $79,645 |
| Vermont | 1.43% | $79,563 |
| New York | 1.45% | $79,395 |
| New Hampshire | 1.46% | $79,311 |
| Connecticut | 1.66% | $77,685 |
| New Jersey | 1.89% | $75,894 |
| Illinois | 1.92% | $75,665 |
Assumptions
- Uses gross (pre-tax) income, the way lenders calculate debt-to-income ratios.
- Ratios are common guidelines; actual approval depends on credit score, loan program, reserves and the lender.
- Property tax scales with the home price; insurance and HOA are treated as fixed amounts.
- Fixed-rate loan; PMI applies when the down payment is under 20% of the price.
- Down payment assumed at 40% of annual income ($12,000); national average property tax 0.89%.
Frequently asked questions
How much house can I afford on a $30k salary?+
About $84,349 under the standard 28/36 rule, with $12,000 down, no other debts and an example 6.5% 30-year rate (monthly payment $700.00). A more comfortable budget is $74,321; a stretch is $94,378.
What's the max mortgage payment on $30k a year?+
$30k is $2,500 a month before taxes. The 28% guideline caps your housing payment (including taxes, insurance and PMI) at about $700.00, and all debts together at $900.00.
How do debts change what I can afford on $30k?+
Each dollar of monthly debt reduces the room under the 36% limit. With $500 a month of other debt, the standard budget drops to about $46,139.
What hourly wage is a $30k salary?+
About $14.42 an hour, based on 2,080 working hours a year.
Related calculators
Last reviewed October 14, 2026. Calculator version 1.0.0. Sources: US Census Bureau, ACS 2024 1-year, Table B25103 (Median Real Estate Taxes Paid) · US Census Bureau, ACS 2024 1-year, Table B25077 (Median Value, Owner-Occupied). Results are estimates for educational purposes, not financial, tax or lending advice. How we check our numbers.