Mortgage Affordability Calculators for 11 US Cities

Local property tax, insurance and HOA dues change how much house the same income can buy.

Last updated: 09/27/2026 · Written by Sadaf Azeem

Lenders use the same debt-to-income limits across the country, but the carrying costs that count against those limits differ by city. A 2% property tax in Houston or Dallas, high hurricane insurance and condo fees in Miami, or co-op maintenance in New York all reduce the loan the same income can support.

How mortgage affordability calculators compare across the 11 cities

CityProperty tax + insurance defaultsWhat is different there
New York City0.90% + 0.35%NYC property tax is built on the Department of Finance market value, not the sale price.
San Francisco1.18% + 0.25%Under Proposition 13, a San Francisco home is assessed at its purchase price and the assessed value can grow no more than 2% a year.
Los Angeles1.20% + 0.35%LA homes are taxed at about 1% of the Proposition 13 assessed value plus voter-approved bonds and direct assessments, which together usually bring the rate to around 1.1% to 1.3% depending on the tax rate area.
Houston1.85% + 1.10%A Houston home in Houston ISD is taxed by several units — the school district, City of Houston, Harris County, Harris Health, the Flood Control District, the Port of Houston and the Department of Education — for a combined rate of about $2.03 per $100 of value in 2025 before exemptions.
Dallas2.00% + 1.20%A Dallas home in Dallas ISD is taxed by Dallas ISD, the City of Dallas, Dallas County, Parkland Hospital and Dallas College, for about $2.22 per $100 in 2025 before exemptions — a bit higher than Houston.
Chicago1.90% + 0.40%Cook County taxes residential property on 10% of market value, multiplied by the state equalization factor (3.0300 for 2025), minus exemptions such as the $10,000 homeowner exemption, then times the composite rate of every district on your tax code.
Miami1.80% + 1.30%Miami-Dade property tax is figured in mills (dollars per $1,000 of value), with a combined City of Miami rate near 20 mills in 2025.
Atlanta1.40% + 0.60%Georgia taxes property on 40% of fair market value.
Boston1.24% + 0.40%Boston's FY2026 residential tax rate is $12.40 per $1,000 of assessed value.
Seattle0.85% + 0.25%King County combines every levy that covers an address into one rate per $1,000 of assessed value; Seattle's has been roughly $8 to $9 in recent years.
Washington DC0.72% + 0.30%DC taxes owner-occupied homes at $0.85 per $100 of assessed value after a homestead deduction, and limits yearly assessment increases for homesteads to 10%.

Yearly percentage of price used as starting defaults.

Why the same income buys different homes

Every dollar of monthly property tax, insurance or HOA dues is a dollar that cannot go to principal and interest. At a 6.5% rate, about $158 a month supports roughly $25,000 of loan, so carrying costs have a large effect on the maximum price.

Beyond lender limits

New York co-op boards often apply stricter tests than lenders, including post-closing liquidity. Condo associations in Miami and Chicago publish budgets and reserve studies worth reading before choosing a price range.

Choose your city

Frequently asked questions

What is the 28/36 rule?

Housing up to 28% of gross income and all debts up to 36%.

Do HOA fees count?

Yes, lenders count them in housing costs.

Is this a pre-approval?

No, it is an estimate.