Rent Affordability Calculator

The two rules every landlord and renter uses: the 30% rule and the 3x-rent rule.

The 30% rule

The classic budgeting rule: housing should cost no more than 30% of gross monthly income. It comes from the U.S. Census Bureau's definition of “cost burdened” — anyone spending more than 30% on housing is considered financially stretched.

The 3x rent rule (what landlords actually use)

When screening tenants, most landlords require gross monthly income ≥ 3× rent. It's the same math as the 30% rule, just expressed as a screening minimum: 30% of income = 1/3 of income = rent.

For pricier markets (NYC, SF), some landlords go up to 40x annual income or 2.5x monthly. For lower-rent markets, 3x is the standard.

Tips for landlords

Verify income with at least two pay stubs (or 2 years of tax returns for self-employed applicants). The tenant screening checklist walks through the full screening process.