Debt-to-Income Ratio Calculator

Calculate your DTI ratio — the share of income going to debt payments.

$
$
Rent or mortgage, including tax and insurance.
$
%
Debt-to-income ratio —
Rating —
Monthly room to target —

Results update as you type.

About this calculator

Your debt-to-income (DTI) ratio is the percentage of your gross monthly income that goes to debt payments. Lenders lean on it heavily to judge how much more you can safely borrow. This calculator adds your housing payment and other monthly debts, divides by income, and shows the ratio, a plain-language rating, and how much monthly debt room you have left to a target.

The formula is total monthly debt ÷ gross monthly income × 100. For example, 1,500 of housing plus 500 of other debts on 5,000 of monthly income is 2,000 ÷ 5,000 = 40% — above the 36% many lenders prefer, so it would be flagged as manageable rather than healthy. Against a 36% target, this borrower is about 200 a month over the line.

Use it to see where you stand before applying for a mortgage or loan, to work out how much debt payment you can add and stay under a target, or to track progress as you pay debt down. Because DTI uses gross income, budget with your lower take-home pay in mind too.

Frequently asked questions

What is a good debt-to-income ratio?

Below 36% is generally seen as healthy, with 43% often the ceiling for a qualified mortgage. Above that, lenders may decline or charge more. DTI = total monthly debt ÷ gross monthly income × 100.

Does DTI use gross or net income?

Lenders use gross (pre-tax) monthly income for DTI. That makes the ratio look lower than it would against take-home pay, so budget with your net figure in mind too.

What is the difference between front-end and back-end DTI?

Front-end DTI counts only your housing payment against income, while back-end DTI counts all debt including housing. Lenders usually care most about the back-end figure; a common guideline is front-end under 28% and back-end under 36%.

What debts count toward DTI?

Recurring monthly obligations: mortgage or rent, car loans, student loans, minimum credit-card payments, personal loans and child support or alimony. Everyday bills like utilities, groceries and insurance are generally not counted.

How can I lower my DTI ratio?

Either raise income or cut monthly debt. Paying off a small loan, avoiding new borrowing, or refinancing to a lower payment all reduce the numerator, while a raise or added income increases the denominator — both push the ratio down.

Can I get a mortgage with a high DTI?

Sometimes. Many lenders cap qualified mortgages around 43%, but some programs allow higher with strong credit, reserves or a large down payment. A lower DTI generally means easier approval and better rates.

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API — use this calculator from code

Call this calculator as a free JSON endpoint — no key required. Send the field values below as query parameters or JSON. Read the full API docs →

Endpoint

GET https://calculator.free/api/v1/debt-to-income/

curl

curl "https://calculator.free/api/v1/debt-to-income/?income=5000&housing=1500&other=500"

JavaScript fetch()

const r = await fetch(
  "https://calculator.free/api/v1/debt-to-income/?" + new URLSearchParams({
    "income": "5000",
    "housing": "1500",
    "other": "500"
  }));
const data = await r.json();
console.log(data.results);

Results are estimates for general guidance only, not financial, medical or tax advice.