Colorado Divorce Decisions blog
What one income buys in the Denver metro after divorce in 2026
What one income buys in the Denver metro after divorce runs from about $259,000 on $70,000 a year to about $595,000 on $150,000, at an example 6.5 percent rate with 5 percent down.
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What one income buys in the Denver metro after divorce runs from about $259,000 on $70,000 a year to about $595,000 on $150,000, at an example 6.5 percent rate with 5 percent down. Denver metro median prices sit in the $500,000s to $600,000s, so a $150,000 income reaches the median and a $90,000 income shops condos and townhomes. The table below gives every number for a Colorado buyer after divorce.
What does each income buy at a 6.5 percent example rate?
The table caps the full monthly housing payment at 36 percent of gross income and assumes no other debt. The payment includes principal and interest, property tax and insurance, $250 a month of HOA dues and mortgage insurance on a 5 percent down loan. Your lender sets your real limit.
| Yearly income | Monthly housing budget | Maximum price | 5% down | Loan | Principal and interest |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $70,000 | $2,100 | $259,000 | $12,950 | $245,900 | $1,554 |
| $90,000 | $2,700 | $343,000 | $17,150 | $325,850 | $2,059 |
| $120,000 | $3,600 | $469,000 | $23,450 | $445,550 | $2,816 |
| $150,000 | $4,500 | $595,000 | $29,750 | $565,250 | $3,573 |
Where do those prices land in the metro?
- $259,000. Condos and townhomes. Start with Colorado condos and Aurora, Thornton and Westminster.
- $343,000. Larger condos and townhomes in Lakewood, Arvada and Colorado Springs.
- $469,000. Townhomes and smaller detached homes in Broomfield, Parker and Littleton.
- $595,000. The median range. Detached homes in Denver, Castle Rock and Highlands Ranch.
Search every home for sale in Colorado and filter to your maximum price. Read the city pages for Denver, Aurora and Littleton to meet the agent who covers your area.
How do support payments change the number?
Support you pay is a monthly debt in the ratio. In this example, every $500 a month of support you pay lowers the maximum price by about $70,000. Support you receive adds to income when the decree documents 3 years of continuance and you have a history of receiving it, with 6 months as the common floor. The child support and housing page and the maintenance page show how each lands in the ratio, and the qualification page lists the documents.
How much does the rate move the price?
A half point lower rate, from 6.5 to 6.0 percent, adds about $12,000 on a $70,000 income, $15,000 on $90,000, $21,000 on $120,000 and $27,000 on $150,000. Rate is the one input you can shop. Mike Oswald, VP of Mortgage Lending at Rate, NMLS 261003, Equal Housing Lender, gives our readers a written quote on his lender page. You are free to use any lender.
What if your income is under $70,000?
Below $70,000 the payment cap drops under $2,100 a month, and the search narrows to condos under $259,000. Three moves widen it: add documented maintenance or child support to your income, pay off a car loan or credit card to free monthly room, and raise your credit score before you apply. If the numbers still do not work, renting for 12 months while you build savings is a sound plan. The rent or buy page and divorce with no savings show the next steps, and Kenna Credit Care helps with credit repair.
Which loan fits which income?
- $70,000 to $90,000. FHA at 3.5 percent down or conventional at 3 percent, plus CHFA or metroDPA assistance.
- $120,000. Conventional at 5 percent down keeps mortgage insurance low and gives the widest choice of townhomes.
- $150,000. Conventional at 10 percent down cuts mortgage insurance, and 20 percent down removes it.
What are CHFA and metroDPA?
CHFA is the Colorado Housing and Finance Authority. Its first-time buyer loans come with down payment assistance, and the buyer completes a homebuyer education class. metroDPA is a down payment assistance program for Denver metro buyers, delivered through participating lenders. Both set income and price limits and other conditions, and your lender confirms whether your income and target price qualify.
What is a 2-1 buydown, and can the seller pay?
A 2-1 buydown lowers your rate 2 points in year one and 1 point in year two, and the seller or builder funds it as a credit. Seller credits are capped by the loan: FHA allows up to 6 percent of the price, and a conventional loan with under 10 percent down allows up to 3 percent. Credits also pay closing costs. Your lender confirms the current caps. Read what closing costs include and ask for a credit in your offer.
How much cash do you need to close?
Add the down payment, closing costs and reserves. At 5 percent down on the $343,000 home, the down payment is $17,150. Closing costs add several thousand dollars, and lenders want reserves. Your equity buyout or settlement funds it, and the buyout calculator shows how much cash the house releases. FHA needs 3.5 percent down and conventional starts at 3 percent for first-time buyers, so FHA and VA home buying can lower the cash.
For the full one-income walkthrough, read buying a house after divorce on one income in Denver. Track the monthly budget on living on one income. Start at the buying after divorce hub.
Where to go next
- Buying after divorce in Colorado
- Mortgage pre-approval in Colorado
- Mortgage after divorce
- Financing options
- Rent or buy after divorce in Colorado
- Free buying after divorce guide
Talk to us before you sign anything
The Kenna Real Estate Group, with Damon L. Chavez, Certified Residential Appraiser, and Brian Lee Burke, Colorado broker since 2003, will price the marital home in a written Smart Pricing Report if it is still unsold, check your payment with the lender and set up a search at your price on kennarealestate.com. Call or text 303-955-4220. A live person answers. Not a robot, not a phone tree. Free and confidential. You do not need to be ready to buy.
Quick answers
What is the median home price in the Denver metro?
Denver metro medians sit in the $500,000s to $600,000s. Condos and townhomes come in below that, and detached homes in the core cities sit at or above it.
How much house can I afford on $90,000 in Colorado?
About $343,000 in this example with 5 percent down at a 6.5 percent rate, before any other debt. Your lender sets the real number.
Does a lower down payment raise my payment?
Yes. Under 20 percent down adds mortgage insurance to the payment, and a bigger loan raises principal and interest. Every $100,000 borrowed at 6.5 percent is about $632 a month.
Is 36 percent of income the legal limit?
No. It is the ratio we use to keep the payment comfortable. Lenders approve higher total ratios on some loans, and your lender confirms yours.
Do I need a separate down payment if I use FHA?
FHA needs 3.5 percent down. On a $343,000 home that is $12,005, and gift funds and assistance programs can fund it.
Can I buy a house on one income if I pay child support?
Yes when the payment ratio still works after the support is counted as a debt. Each $500 a month of support lowers the price by about $70,000 in the example.
Where should I search first?
Start with the city pages at your price, then search all homes for sale in Colorado and save the search so new listings reach you.
Plain-language education from a Colorado real estate group, not legal, tax or financial advice. Numbers are as of September 2026. Disclaimer.
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Divorce Decisions™: Colorado divorce workshops and education. Real estate services provided by The Kenna Real Estate Group at Keller Williams DTC. Not legal, tax, lending or financial advice.