What $175,000 of mortgage really costs
A $175,000 mortgage sits in starter-home and refinance territory — in much of the Midwest and South it finances a median home outright, while in coastal metros it's a condo or a hefty down payment's remainder. The payment math is friendly at this size: even a full percentage point of rate moves the monthly cost by only $118.
The full monthly bill is more than principal and interest. If this loan is 80% of the home's price ($218,750 home), national-average property tax (1.1%/yr) adds about $201/month and average insurance ($2,341/yr) another $195 — bringing the realistic total to roughly $1,502/month. Under the classic 28% housing ratio, that suggests around $64,360 of household income. Local taxes change this a lot — see the state-by-state comparison.