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New Report Fall 2026 Housing Affordability Report: every state is less affordable than in late August as average 30-year mortgage rates passed 7%. Read the report

Houston, DE Housing Affordability Index

Houston, Delaware has an MBR Housing Affordability Index score of 119.1 (More Affordable Than Average) as of October 30, 2026, ranking 16th most affordable of 59 scored Delaware cities, compared with 103.6 statewide and 97.4 nationally. On a median-priced $310,900 home with 20% down, the Delaware average 30-year fixed rate of 7.37% means a monthly principal and interest payment of about $1,716, or 30% of the city’s $68,889 median household income.

The MBR Housing Affordability Index (MBR-HAI) for Houston is updated every night from live Delaware mortgage rates and U.S. Census Bureau income, home value and housing cost data for the city. A score of 100 equals the national average; higher scores mean homeownership is more affordable.

Houston MBR-HAI 119.1 More Affordable Than Average
Rank in Delaware 16 of 59 1 = most affordable
Delaware 103.6 Statewide score
National 97.4 100 = baseline
Avg 30-yr rate 7.37% Delaware lenders
Median home value $310,900 U.S. Census Bureau

Houston is 15.5 points above the Delaware score. Scores as of October 30, 2026. See the Delaware index

View Houston Mortgage Rates

See What You Can Afford in Houston, Delaware

Use this Houston, Delaware home affordability calculator to see how much house you can afford at today’s Delaware average 30-year mortgage rate of 7.37%. A household earning the Houston median income of $68,889, with no other debts and $62,000 down, can afford a home of about $269,864, compared with a median home value of $310,900. Buying the median priced home with 20% down takes a household income of about $82,100 once property tax and insurance are counted.

Houston median (Census)
Car, student loan, card minimums
Under 20% adds PMI
Delaware average, 30-year fixed
Houston median bill (Census)
Estimate; use your quote
You can afford a home up to
$269,864
Below the Houston median home value of $310,900
Loan amount$207,864
Principal & interest$1,434/mo
Property tax$61/mo
Home insurance$112/mo
PMI$0/mo
Total monthly payment$1,607/mo
Compare Houston Mortgage Rates

How much house can you afford in Houston?

Most lenders use two limits. Your housing payment, including principal, interest, property tax, homeowners insurance and any PMI, should stay under about 28% of your gross monthly income, and all of your monthly debt payments together should stay under about 36%. The calculator takes whichever limit is lower, then works backward from that payment to the most expensive home it covers at the current rate.

In Houston, property taxes run about 0.27% of a home’s value each year, based on the Census median tax bill, which counts against the same monthly budget as the mortgage. Each quarter point move in mortgage rates changes the price you can afford by roughly $4,612 for a median income household. A larger down payment, paying down other debts, or a lower rate from a local lender all raise your budget.

What It Takes to Buy in Houston

$1,716/mo
Principal & Interest
Median home, 20% down, 7.37%
$73,500
Income Needed
To keep principal and interest at 28% of income
$68,889
Median Household Income
Delaware: $84,954
4.5x
Price-to-Income Ratio
Delaware: 4.1x
$997/mo
Median Owner Costs
Mortgage, taxes, insurance, utilities
$849/yr
Median Property Tax
0.27% of median value
28.0%
Owner Cost Burden
Owners spending 30%+ of income on housing
44.1%
Renter Cost Burden
Renters spending 30%+ of income on rent

Source: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates (2024) for Houston, Delaware. The rate is the Delaware average 30-year fixed rate from MonitorBankRates, since lenders publish rates by state.

Cite the Houston Score

“MonitorBankRates (MBR) Housing Affordability Index, MonitorBankRates.com, October 30, 2026. Houston, Delaware score: 119.1 (More Affordable Than Average), ranked 16 of 59 Delaware cities. monitorbankrates.com/housing-affordability-index/delaware/houston”