Rent affordability calculator
Enter your salary and state to see how much rent fits in the pay that actually reaches your account — after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare, state tax and any 401(k) or benefits.
| Per month | Amount |
|---|---|
| Take-home (Texas): $60,000 gross, $1,938.07 per paycheck | $4,199.17 |
| Conservative · 25% of take-home | $1,050 |
| Standard · 30% of take-home | $1,260 |
| Stretch · 35% of take-home | $1,470 |
| Left after $1,260 rent | $2,939.42 |
| Left per paycheck after its share of rent | $1,356.65 |
For comparison, on gross pay of $5,000 a month: HUD counts rent above $1,500 (30% of gross income) as a cost burden, and landlords who ask for income of 3× the rent would accept up to $1,667. Both are measured before tax, so they allow more than the same share of take-home.
How it's worked out
- Take-home pay. Your salary goes through the same engine as our paycheck calculators: federal income tax from IRS Publication 15-T (2026), Social Security and Medicare, and the state's own withholding formula and payroll premiums. A 401(k) and pre-tax benefits come out first.
- Per month. The year's take-home divided by 12, so it doesn't matter how often you're paid.
- The range. 25%, 30% and 35% of that monthly take-home. With a second earner, their take-home — worked out in their own state — is added, never their gross pay.
The 30% figure comes from HUD, which counts a household paying more than 30% of income for housing as cost-burdened (more than 50% as severely). HUD measures income before tax, so 30% of gross is a higher number: on $60,000 it's $1,500 a month, while 30% of take-home in a state with no income tax is $1,260. It's a convention, not a law — more in the rent vs take-home guide.
Rent on $60,000 in every state
Thirty percent of take-home ranges from $1,260 a month in Florida to $1,150 in Oregon on the same salary. Single filer, paid every two weeks, standard W-4, each state's form defaults, no local taxes other than Maryland's default county.
| State | Take-home a month | Rent at 30% | Range (25–35%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $3,990 | $1,197 | $998–$1,397 |
| Alaska | $4,177 | $1,253 | $1,044–$1,462 |
| Arizona | $4,099 | $1,230 | $1,025–$1,435 |
| Arkansas | $4,055 | $1,216 | $1,014–$1,419 |
| California | $3,984 | $1,195 | $996–$1,394 |
| Colorado | $3,977 | $1,193 | $994–$1,392 |
| Connecticut | $3,981 | $1,194 | $995–$1,393 |
| Delaware | $3,958 | $1,187 | $990–$1,385 |
| District of Columbia | $3,931 | $1,179 | $983–$1,376 |
| Florida | $4,199 | $1,260 | $1,050–$1,470 |
| Georgia | $4,012 | $1,204 | $1,003–$1,404 |
| Hawaii | $3,921 | $1,176 | $980–$1,372 |
| Idaho | $4,004 | $1,201 | $1,001–$1,401 |
| Illinois | $3,964 | $1,189 | $991–$1,387 |
| Indiana | $4,054 | $1,216 | $1,014–$1,419 |
| Iowa | $4,054 | $1,216 | $1,013–$1,419 |
| Kansas | $3,987 | $1,196 | $997–$1,395 |
| Kentucky | $4,034 | $1,210 | $1,008–$1,412 |
| Louisiana | $4,078 | $1,223 | $1,019–$1,427 |
| Maine | $3,958 | $1,187 | $989–$1,385 |
| Maryland | $3,845 | $1,154 | $961–$1,346 |
| Massachusetts | $3,953 | $1,186 | $988–$1,383 |
| Michigan | $4,008 | $1,202 | $1,002–$1,403 |
| Minnesota | $3,904 | $1,171 | $976–$1,366 |
| Mississippi | $4,061 | $1,218 | $1,015–$1,421 |
| Missouri | $4,043 | $1,213 | $1,011–$1,415 |
| Montana | $4,028 | $1,208 | $1,007–$1,410 |
| Nebraska | $4,022 | $1,207 | $1,006–$1,408 |
| Nevada | $4,199 | $1,260 | $1,050–$1,470 |
| New Hampshire | $4,199 | $1,260 | $1,050–$1,470 |
| New Jersey | $3,994 | $1,198 | $999–$1,398 |
| New Mexico | $4,029 | $1,209 | $1,007–$1,410 |
| New York | $3,952 | $1,186 | $988–$1,383 |
| North Carolina | $4,039 | $1,212 | $1,010–$1,414 |
| North Dakota | $4,195 | $1,258 | $1,049–$1,468 |
| Ohio | $4,081 | $1,224 | $1,020–$1,429 |
| Oklahoma | $4,019 | $1,206 | $1,005–$1,407 |
| Oregon | $3,833 | $1,150 | $958–$1,341 |
| Pennsylvania | $4,042 | $1,213 | $1,011–$1,415 |
| Rhode Island | $3,960 | $1,188 | $990–$1,386 |
| South Carolina | $4,009 | $1,203 | $1,002–$1,403 |
| South Dakota | $4,199 | $1,260 | $1,050–$1,470 |
| Tennessee | $4,199 | $1,260 | $1,050–$1,470 |
| Texas | $4,199 | $1,260 | $1,050–$1,470 |
| Utah | $3,976 | $1,193 | $994–$1,392 |
| Vermont | $4,052 | $1,216 | $1,013–$1,418 |
| Virginia | $3,980 | $1,194 | $995–$1,393 |
| Washington | $4,130 | $1,239 | $1,032–$1,445 |
| West Virginia | $4,028 | $1,208 | $1,007–$1,410 |
| Wisconsin | $3,969 | $1,191 | $992–$1,389 |
| Wyoming | $4,199 | $1,260 | $1,050–$1,470 |
Sources
- HUD USER, PD&R Edge — Rental Burdens: Rethinking Affordability Measures — cost-burdened: paying more than 30% of income for housing; severely: more than 50%; the 1969 Brooke Amendment capped public housing rent at 25% of income, raised to 30% in 1981; pretax vs posttax income affects the measure (checked 2026-09-27)
- IRS Publication 15-T (2026), Federal Income Tax Withholding Methods — Worksheet 1A and the annual percentage-method tables
- IRS Publication 15 (2026), Employer's Tax Guide — Social Security and Medicare rates
- Social Security Administration — 2026 wage base of $184,500
Questions
How much rent can I afford on my salary?
A common guide is 30% of income. On take-home pay, a $60,000 salary supports about $1,260 a month in a state with no income tax, and less where there is one — pick your state above.
Should I use gross or net income for the 30% rule?
HUD's 30% measure uses income before tax. Using take-home pay is more cautious because taxes are already gone from what you can spend: 30% of gross on $60,000 is $1,500 a month, 30% of take-home is $1,260 or less.
What is the 3x rent rule?
Many landlords ask for gross monthly income of about 3 times the rent. It's a screening practice, not a law, and requirements vary by landlord.
Does a 401(k) change how much rent I can afford?
It lowers take-home pay today, so the rent range shown here goes down — open “401(k), health insurance” in the calculator to include it.