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💰 Money
Is my debt level normal?
Compare your debt-to-income ratio to national benchmarks.
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Mortgage + car + student loans + credit cards + other
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Is my debt-to-income ratio normal?
Your debt-to-income (DTI) ratio is one of the most important numbers in personal finance. It's what lenders look at to decide if you can afford more debt — and it's a key indicator of financial stress.
DTI benchmarks (Federal Reserve + lending guidelines)
- Under 20%: Excellent — low risk, easy loan approval
- 20–35%: Healthy — manageable debt level
- 36–43%: Elevated — approaching the limit for most mortgages
- 43–50%: High — difficult to get approved for new credit
- 50%+: Critical — financial distress territory
Average DTI by age (Fed SCF 2022)
- Under 35: Average DTI 22% — student loans + rent
- 35–44: Average DTI 25% — mortgage peak years
- 45–54: Average DTI 20% — mortgage paydown phase
- 55–64: Average DTI 16% — approaching retirement
- 65+: Average DTI 12% — most debt paid off
The 43% threshold is critical — it's the maximum DTI most conventional mortgage lenders will accept (Qualified Mortgage rule).