You may have heard it—the rule that says “Don't spend more than 30% of your gross monthly income on housing.” The idea is to ensure you still have 70% of your income to spend on other expenses.
If you're an aspiring homeowner, you may be asking yourself, “How much house can I afford a with $70K salary?” If you make $70K a year, you can likely afford a home between $290,000 and $360,000*. That's a monthly house payment between $2,000 and $2,500 a month, depending on your personal finances.
One popular guideline is the 30% rent rule, which says to spend around 30% of your gross income on rent. So if you earn $4,000 per month before taxes, you could spend up to about $1,200 per month on rent. This is a solid guideline, but it's not one-size-fits-all advice.
How much should I make to Afford $1500 Rent? Let's say you've got your eye on a cool place that costs $1,500 a month. You want to stick to the 30% rule, so let's do the math: $1,500 / 0.30 = $5,000. That's your target monthly income.
If you make $5,000 per month, your Yearly salary would be $60,000. This result is obtained by multiplying your base salary by the amount of hours, week, and months you work in a year, assuming you work 40 hours a week.
Ever heard of the 30% rule? It's the idea that you should budget a minimum of 30% of your gross monthly income (i.e., your before-tax income) for housing costs, and it's practically a personal finance gospel. Rent calculators often use the 30% rule as a default assumption to determine how much house you can afford.
For example, if you're making $20 an hour, assuming you work a standard 40-hour workweek, your monthly income is $3,200. Based on the 50% needs category, you should aim to spend no more than 30% of yours income on rent, which comes out to $960 per month.
Earmark no more than 30% of your monthly income toward the housing payment. That's it, but it takes some calculation. If the household income is $10,000 a month, say, then the total monthly housing payment should not exceed $3,000.
That monthly payment comes to $36,000 annually. Applying the 28/36 rule, which states that you shouldn't spend more than around a third of your income on housing, multiply $36,000 by three and you get $108,000. So to afford a $500K house you'd have to make at least $108,000 per year.
When it comes to defining a “good” salary, there's no one magic number. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported that the average salary in the U.S. is $65,470, as of May 2023. Based on this data point, $70K a year is a good salary for a single person — one that puts you above the national average.
You can buy a $300,000 house with only $9,000 down when using a conventional mortgage, which is the lowest down payment permitted, unless you qualify for a zero-down-payment VA or USDA loan. Different lenders have different rules, but typically they require a 620 credit score for conventional loan approval.
While the world of personal finance provides a percentage guideline for how much of your money should go toward housing, this rule is a little outdated in 2024.
The 30% ruling means that 30% of the gross salary can be paid out tax-free as a non-taxable allowance. This is intended to cover the additional costs an international employee incurs when working and living in the Netherlands. The most common way this scheme is applied is by reducing the employee's gross salary by 30%.
The 50-30-20 rule recommends putting 50% of your money toward needs, 30% toward wants, and 20% toward savings. The savings category also includes money you will need to realize your future goals.
If you make $23 an hour, your yearly salary would be $47,840.
California. California's living wage is $19.41, or $40,371 a year for an individual. A family of four requires $27.42, or $101,378 a year.
The 30% Rule
If you're a renter, this includes your rent plus any utility costs, such as heat, water, and electricity. If you're a homeowner, your housing expenses include your mortgage principal and interest, property taxes, homeowners' insurance, any HOA fees, and utilities.
While this figure can vary based on factors such as location, family size, and lifestyle preferences, a common range for a good monthly salary is between $6,000 and $8,333 for individuals.
If you make $70,000 a year, your hourly salary would be $33.65.
Outside the most expensive parts of the United States, $5,000 per month is typically enough to cover rent or mortgage payments and other lifestyle expenses if you're mindful of your budget.