$900 a week (approx. $46,800/year) is a decent, livable income in many parts of the U.S., but it may feel tight in high-cost-of-living areas. It equates to about $ 22.50 $ 2 2 . 5 0 per hour, which is often considered average to below-average depending on the region and industry, making it crucial to manage, budget, and potentially seek higher-paying opportunities for better financial comfort.
$900 per week is how much a year? With a weekly income of $900 per week, the annual total becomes $46,800 per year. This figure is obtained by multiplying the weekly wage by 52, the total number of weeks in a year.
Financial experts often suggest spending between 25% and 30% of your gross income on rent. Some even stretch the guideline to 35%. For example: 25% rule = more room for savings but harder in high-cost cities.
If you're living within your means then yes. You just have to adjust your spending and not be going out all the time and buying stuff you don't need.
To afford $2,500 in rent, you generally need an annual gross income of around $100,000, based on the common "30% rule" (rent ≤ 30% of gross income) or the "40x rule" (annual income ≥ 40x monthly rent), though some suggest a higher income might be needed depending on other debts and savings goals. A salary of $100,000 ($8,333/month) allows for roughly $2,500 in rent, leaving enough for other expenses and savings.
As noted above, your estimated monthly payment for a $500K mortgage will be $3,360.16, assuming a 30-year loan term and an interest rate of 7.10%. But this payment could range between roughly $2,600 and $4,900, depending on your term and interest rate.
The living wage in the United States was $25.02 per hour in 2022 or $104,077.70 per year before taxes, according to research from MIT. This figure is based on a family of four with two working adults. Each adult would have to work 52 weeks a year, earning $52,038.85 or $25.02 for a 40-hour workweek.
While ZipRecruiter is seeing salaries as high as $45,397 and as low as $30,594, the majority of 800 Per Week salaries currently range between $35,500 (25th percentile) to $43,400 (75th percentile) with top earners (90th percentile) making $44,410 annually in California.
A middle-class salary varies widely but generally falls between two-thirds to double the median household income, which nationally translates roughly to $55,000 to $167,000 annually, depending on household size and, crucially, the cost of living in your specific city or state, with high-cost areas like San Jose requiring much higher earnings.
However, most lenders still require your score to be at least 600 for an insured mortgage, even with a co-signer. How long does it take to raise my score enough to buy a home? Raising your credit score enough to buy a home (typically up to at least 600–680) can take anywhere from about 3 to 12 months.
The best time to buy a house is a balance between market conditions and personal readiness, with late summer/early fall often ideal for lower prices and less competition, while winter offers the lowest prices but limited homes, and spring/early summer has the most inventory but highest prices and competition. Ultimately, the best time is when you're financially prepared with a good credit score, down payment, stable income, and emergency fund, as personal readiness trumps seasonal trends.
If you're looking at an apartment that costs $1,500 per month in rent, according to the 3x rule, you would need a gross monthly income of at least $4,500 (1500 x 3) to be considered a suitable tenant.
As a rule of thumb, your monthly rent shouldn't exceed 30% of your gross monthly income. This leaves 70% of your gross monthly income to cover other expenses.
A good starting salary varies, but for 2025 U.S. college graduates, the average is around $68,680, with high-demand fields like Engineering and Computer Science often exceeding $75k, while factors like location, cost of living, and specific industry significantly influence what's considered "good," but generally, anything that comfortably covers expenses and allows for savings is a strong start, often in the $50k-$80k range for many roles.