How much rent can you afford making $25 an hour?
Your rent budget at 30% of gross income
$1,300
per month
The 30% guideline includes utilities. We subtract your entered utility allowance from that housing budget. Gross income is before taxes.
Find your comfortable number.
Three ways to look at your budget.
| Rule | Total housing / needs allowance | Rent after entered expenses | What it means |
|---|---|---|---|
| 30% of gross income | $1,300 | $1,300 | Housing guideline before taxes |
| 40% of gross income | $1,733 | $1,733 | Higher burden; leaves less room for other costs |
| 50/30/20 take-home budget | Enter take-home pay | Enter take-home pay | Half of net income for all needs, after other necessities and utilities |
Landlord screening rules may use a different income multiple. Your savings, debts, benefits, household costs, and variable work schedule affect what feels comfortable.
For an after-tax check, enter your actual take-home pay. This tool does not invent a payroll-tax estimate.
Keep the rest of life in the budget.
Build in the everyday costs.
Include utilities, food, transport, insurance, debt payments, childcare, and savings. A rent ceiling is a guideline, not a spending target.
Remember the move-in costs.
Deposits, application fees, moving expenses, and overlapping leases can make the first month cost more than your regular rent.
Good questions. Clear answers.
How much rent can I afford on this income?
At $52,000 in gross annual income, the 30% guideline gives $1,300 a month for housing. After $0 in utilities, the rent-only estimate is $1,300.
Is the 30% rule before or after taxes?
The conventional housing guideline uses gross income before taxes. The separate 50/30/20 check here uses the actual take-home pay you enter.
How is hourly pay converted into monthly income?
Hourly wage × hours per week × paid weeks per year ÷ 12. The example uses 40 hours and 52 weeks; adjust them for unpaid leave or a variable schedule.
Does the rent budget include utilities?
Yes. The gross-income housing allowance includes rent and utilities. Enter your expected utilities to see the amount left for rent.
Can I spend 40% of my income on rent?
The tool shows that scenario so you can compare it. Spending more than 30% of gross income on housing is commonly classed as a housing-cost burden and leaves less for other needs.
Try another income.
The rule behind the number.
The 30% guideline follows HUD’s housing-cost-burden convention. The 40% scenario is a comparison; the 50/30/20 check is a budgeting framework that uses your entered net income.
Census housing availability and affordability report Our affordability method