What $325,000 of mortgage really costs
A $325,000 loan is squarely in the mainstream of American mortgages — near the typical loan on a median-priced U.S. home with 20% down. It's also where rate shopping pays real money: the spread between a 5% and 8% rate on this balance is $640 every month.
The full monthly bill is more than principal and interest. If this loan is 80% of the home's price ($406,250 home), national-average property tax (1.1%/yr) adds about $372/month and average insurance ($2,341/yr) another $195 — bringing the realistic total to roughly $2,622/month. Under the classic 28% housing ratio, that suggests around $112,359 of household income. Local taxes change this a lot — see the state-by-state comparison.