Debt-to-Income (DTI) Calculator 📋

A real example: is 38% too high?

Say you earn $6,000 a month before tax, and your monthly debt payments are: rent $1,500, car $400, student loan $250, and a credit-card minimum of $150 — $2,300 total.

Your debt-to-income ratio is $2,300 ÷ $6,000 = about 38%. Most mortgage lenders want to see 36% or below (and rarely go above 43%), so 38% is borderline — paying off that credit card would drop you to a comfortable 36%. Enter your income and debts above to find your ratio.

What's a good debt-to-income ratio?

• 36% or less: healthy — lenders like to see this.
• 37–43%: manageable, and still within most mortgage limits, but tighter.
• Over 43%: high — it can be hard to qualify for new loans, and it's a sign to pay down debt.

There are two versions: front-end DTI counts only housing, while back-end DTI (the headline number) counts all debt. Mortgage lenders care most about the back-end figure. For the limits by loan type and a step-by-step plan to lower yours, read the full guide: What is a good debt-to-income ratio?

Leasing a car? Note that lease payments count toward your DTI no matter how few months are left — unlike a car loan, which can sometimes be excluded near the end.

How to lower your DTI

• Pay down debt — especially high-interest balances; use the debt payoff calculator.
• Avoid new debt before applying for a mortgage.
• Increase income — side income counts toward the ratio.

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Frequently asked questions