About RentAffordCalc

⚠️ Important Financial Disclaimer

RentAffordCalc is an informational resource only. It does not provide financial advice, legal advice, or housing counseling services.

The calculators and guides on this site are based on publicly available government data and widely-used affordability guidelines. They are designed to help you understand affordability concepts — not to replace advice from a licensed financial advisor or housing counselor.

Rent affordability depends on factors specific to your situation: local cost of living, credit history, debt obligations, employment stability, and individual landlord requirements. Estimates that apply to most situations may not apply to yours.

If you are facing housing instability, inability to pay rent, or eviction, contact a HUD-approved housing counselor at HUD.gov or call 800-569-4287 for free assistance.

Our Mission

Rent is the single largest expense for most American households — and deciding whether you can afford a specific apartment is one of the most consequential financial decisions you'll make each year. Yet most tools that answer this question are buried inside real estate portals filled with agent referrals, upsells, and conflicts of interest.

RentAffordCalc exists to provide a clean, free, unbiased answer based on the same affordability standards used by HUD and financial planners. No account required, no email capture, no hidden agenda.

What We Cover

30% rent-to-income rule Debt-to-income (DTI) ratio Moving budget calculator Roommate rent splitting Security deposit laws by state Rent control laws by state Rent vs. buy analysis Landlord income requirements First apartment budgeting Utility cost estimates

Our Editorial Process

How We Research

Every calculator and guide on RentAffordCalc is built on primary data from government sources. Our research process for each tool or article includes:

Review of the relevant HUD affordability standard or housing assistance guidance
Review of BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey data for household spending benchmarks
Cross-reference with Federal Reserve Economic Data (FRED) for rent and income trends
Review of state-specific housing authority publications for deposit and rent control laws

Review and Accuracy Standards

We review our guides when relevant government data is updated, when a reader identifies an error, or on our annual rolling review cycle. Each guide displays a "Last Reviewed" date. If you believe a guide contains an error, please contact us.

Note on the 30% rule: HUD's 30% standard defines cost-burdened households as those spending more than 30% of gross income on housing. This standard was established in the 1960s–1980s and may not reflect the reality of high cost-of-living cities. Our guides explain both the rule and its limitations so you can make an informed decision.

Our Sources

U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Original source of the 30% affordability standard, housing assistance program guidelines, fair market rent data

Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Consumer Expenditure Survey — how Americans actually allocate income across housing, utilities, food, and transportation

Federal Reserve Economic Data (FRED) Median rent trends, household income data, rent-to-income ratio tracking over time

Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) Renter rights guidance, debt-to-income ratio standards used in mortgage and credit evaluation

State Housing Authority Websites State-specific security deposit limits, rent increase notice requirements, rent control and stabilization laws

National Multifamily Housing Council (NMHC) Rental market data, landlord income requirement benchmarks, apartment market trends

What We Are Not

We are not a financial advisor. No financial advisory relationship is formed by using this site. Nothing here constitutes personalized financial advice.
We are not a housing counselor. For personalized housing guidance, contact a HUD-approved housing counselor at no cost.
We are not affiliated with any landlord, property management company, or real estate portal. We have no financial relationship with any housing provider.
We do not store personal financial data. All calculations run entirely in your browser. Nothing you enter is transmitted to or stored on our servers.
We cannot guarantee outcomes. Affordability estimates are based on general guidelines. Landlord decisions, credit requirements, and local market conditions vary.

Privacy and Data

Our Privacy Policy explains in full how we handle visitor data. We use Google Analytics (anonymized) to understand how people use the site. We collect no personal financial data and use no advertising trackers or data brokers.

Contact and Corrections

Found an error? Have a question or guide suggestion? Visit our contact page. We cannot provide individualized financial advice. For complex housing situations, contact a HUD-approved housing counselor at HUD.gov or call 800-569-4287.