Simple math, real numbers

For every county, we ask one question: can this income cover the full monthly cost of the typical home there, under the rule lenders use?

The monthly cost

Principal and interest on a 30-year fixed loan at the Freddie Mac weekly average (7.40% on Oct 8, 2026). You can change the rate.

Property tax at each county's effective rate: total real estate taxes paid divided by total home value, from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (2020-2024). We use totals rather than medians because the survey caps reported tax bills at $10,000, which understates rates in high-tax suburbs.

Homeowners insurance at 0.6% of the price a year, about the national average. It runs higher in Florida, Louisiana, and wildfire areas.

Mortgage insurance at 0.5% of the loan a year when the down payment is under 20%.

We don't include HOA dues, closing costs, or utilities.

The budget rule

Lenders generally want housing to stay under 28% of gross monthly income, and housing plus other debts under 36%. We use whichever is tighter. You can raise or lower the 28%, and the 36% moves with it.

The typical home

The Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI) for each county, August 2026: the typical value of homes in the middle third of the market, single-family and condo. Data provided by Zillow. About 70 small counties have no Zillow value; they show as striped.

Local income

The Local income view uses each county's median household income (Census ACS 2020-2024) and asks whether that household could buy the county's typical home. Connecticut's eight historic counties use the 2017–2021 survey, adjusted for statewide income growth, because the Census replaced them with planning regions.

The colors

Each county compares the most you could pay with the typical home price. Blue means room to spare, orange means out of reach, and gray means within 10% either way.

What this isn't

It's an estimate for planning, not a loan offer or financial advice. Your real budget depends on your credit, the exact home, local insurance quotes, and your lender.

Who we are

Can You Afford is published by MyAdgent LLC. Questions or corrections: hello@myadgent.com.