Calculate Your Real Number
Minimum Salary Required
$0
Salary Required by State
Hover over any state to see the required salary. Click to scroll to calculator.
$100K+ required
$70K–$100K
$50K–$70K
Under $50K
All 50 States Ranked
Based on median home prices, 20% down payment, 7.1% rate, and 28% housing ratio. Sorted by required salary.
| # | State ↕ | Median Home Price ↕ | Monthly Payment ↕ | Salary Required ↕ | Status |
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Methodology: Based on 20% down payment, 7.1% 30-year fixed rate, and the 28% gross income housing rule. Monthly payment includes principal & interest only. Property taxes, HOA, insurance, and PMI are not included — add $500–$900/mo for a more realistic all-in number. Median home prices sourced from Zillow/NAR 2025–2026 data.
What This Data Really Means
- The US median household income is $74K — in 11 states, this isn't enough to buy the median home
- With 10% down instead of 20%, the required salary jumps ~12% across the board
- Remote work migration has pushed Idaho, Montana, and Nevada into six-figure territory
- The gap between Hawaii (#1, $162K) and West Virginia (#50, $35K) is $127,000 in required salary
- 28% is the bank's rule — your real comfortable number is closer to 25% to leave breathing room
- Every 1% rate increase adds roughly $120-160/mo on a $300K loan — and $15-20K in required salary
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