MortgageCalc

Front End Ratio Calculator

Calculate your front end debt-to-income ratio to determine your mortgage qualification. Understand how your housing costs affect your borrowing capacity.

Loan Details
Enter your mortgage information to get accurate calculations

$300,000

20.0% of home price ($60,000)

Additional Costs
Monthly expenses beyond mortgage

$3,000

$1,200

Required if down payment < 20% ($0)

$0

Extra Payments
Pay off your mortgage faster

Monthly Payment

$1,517

Principal & Interest

Total Monthly

$1,867

Including all costs

Total Interest

$306,107

Over life of loan

Total Cost

$546,107

Principal + Interest

Payment Breakdown

Total Cost

$546,107
Over 30 years

Principal

$240,000
43.9% of total

Interest

$306,107
56.1% of total

Payment Breakdown

Principal43.9%
$240,000
Interest56.1%
$306,107
Interest vs Principal Ratio
You'll pay 56% in interest
That's $66,107 more than the original loan amount
Amortization Schedule
See how your loan balance decreases over time
YearPaymentPrincipalInterestBalance
1$1,517$217$1,300$239,783
1$1,517$230$1,287$237,317
2$1,517$246$1,271$234,455
3$1,517$262$1,255$231,401
4$1,517$280$1,237$228,143
5$1,517$298$1,219$224,666
6$1,517$318$1,199$220,957
7$1,517$340$1,177$216,999
8$1,517$362$1,155$212,776
9$1,517$387$1,130$208,270
10$1,517$413$1,104$203,463
11$1,517$440$1,077$198,333
12$1,517$470$1,047$192,860
13$1,517$501$1,016$187,021
14$1,517$535$982$180,790
15$1,517$571$946$174,142
16$1,517$609$908$167,049
17$1,517$650$867$159,481
18$1,517$693$824$151,405
19$1,517$740$777$142,790
20$1,517$789$728$133,597
21$1,517$842$675$123,788
22$1,517$898$619$113,323
23$1,517$958$559$102,156
24$1,517$1,023$494$90,242
25$1,517$1,091$426$77,530
26$1,517$1,164$353$63,967
27$1,517$1,242$275$49,495
28$1,517$1,325$192$34,054
29$1,517$1,414$103$17,579
30$1,517$1,509$8$0

What is Front End Ratio?

The front end ratio, also known as the housing ratio, is the percentage of your gross monthly income that goes toward housing costs. This includes your mortgage payment, property taxes, insurance, and HOA fees.

Front End Ratio vs Back End Ratio

Front End Ratio

Housing costs ÷ Gross monthly income. Typically should be 28% or less.

Back End Ratio

Total debt payments ÷ Gross monthly income. Typically should be 36% or less.

Front End Ratio Components

  • Principal and interest payment
  • Property taxes (monthly portion)
  • Homeowners insurance (monthly portion)
  • Private mortgage insurance (PMI) if applicable
  • Homeowners association (HOA) fees
  • Any other housing-related costs

Front End Ratio Guidelines

Excellent (≤25%)

Strong financial position with room for other expenses.

Good (26-28%)

Acceptable ratio for most lenders and loan programs.

High (>28%)

May limit loan options or require higher down payment.

How to Improve Your Front End Ratio

  • Increase your down payment to reduce monthly payments
  • Look for homes in lower price ranges
  • Consider a longer loan term to reduce monthly payments
  • Increase your income through raises or additional work
  • Pay down other debts to improve overall financial picture
  • Shop around for better interest rates

Example: Front End Ratio Calculation

If your gross monthly income is $6,000 and your total housing costs are $1,500 per month, your front end ratio is $1,500 ÷ $6,000 = 25%. This is within the acceptable range for most lenders. Our calculator helps you determine your front end ratio and understand how it affects your mortgage qualification.