The 30% rule says rent should eat no more than 30% of your income — but the right number depends on your state taxes, debts, and whether you measure gross or take-home pay. Run your own figures below; the answer is personal, not a one-size number. In high-cost markets you may need to bend the rule or boost income to avoid being rent-burdened (over 30% of income).
AllMoneyCalc provides illustrative estimates only. State income-tax rates are planning estimates (0% in the nine no-income-tax states, ~5% elsewhere). This is not housing, tax, or financial advice — confirm local costs and your real marginal rates before signing a lease.
Related tools & guides
- Overtime Pay Calculator — see what extra shifts add to your monthly budget.
- Take-Home Pay Estimator — model taxes before you set a rent ceiling.
- Pay Raise Calculator — test whether a raise clears your rent target.
- Overtime & FLSA Exemption Rules by State — the go-no-go map behind these numbers.
Data sources & methodology
- Standard formulas Amortization, compound interest, and retirement projection equations per finance practice.
- Public reference rates Savings/investment assumptions stated as planning estimates; no live market rates.
- Internal editorial Calculators reviewed by the AllMoneyCalc editorial team before publication.
Methodology and citations are maintained by the AllMoneyCalc editorial team. Where an official schedule is not yet loaded, results are shown as model estimates and the source is stated as a reference.