As little as 3.5% down

FHA Loan Calculator

FHA loans, backed by the Federal Housing Administration, let qualified buyers put down as little as 3.5%. The trade-off is mortgage insurance: an upfront premium plus an annual one built into your payment. Enter a price below to estimate the full FHA payment, insurance included.

3.5% down modelingInsurance includedNo sign-up

Your numbers

Down payment
= $11,550 down · under 20% adds PMI
Loan term
This week's US averages: 6.76% for 30-year, 6.09% for 15-year (updated Sep 2026). Your rate depends on credit and lender. Freddie Mac PMMS
Estimated monthly payment
$2,666/mo
Principal
$27410%
Interest
$1,79467%
Property tax
$30311%
Home insurance
$1506%
PMI
$1465%
Loan amount
$318,450
Total interest
$425,878
Total cost
$959,772
principal, interest & fees
Payoff
Jun 2056
30 yr
Over the life of the loan

Loan balance over time

$0$80K$159K$239K$318K5y10y15y20y25y30y
Crossover in year 20, the point where more of each payment builds equity than pays interest.

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Full breakdown

Amortization schedule

Every payment, split into principal and interest. Export it or print a copy.

YearPrincipalInterestPMIBalance
2026$1,665$10,740$876$316,785
2027$3,504$21,307$1,751$313,281
2028$3,748$21,063$1,751$309,534
2029$4,009$20,802$1,751$305,524
2030$4,289$20,522$1,751$301,236
2031$4,588$20,223$1,751$296,648
2032$4,908$19,903$1,751$291,740
2033$5,250$19,561$1,751$286,490
2034$5,616$19,195$1,751$280,874
2035$6,008$18,803$1,751$274,866
2036$6,427$18,384$1,751$268,440
2037$6,875$17,936$1,751$261,565
2038$7,354$17,457$1,751$254,210
2039$7,867$16,944$1,751$246,343
2040$8,416$16,395$1,751$237,928
2041$9,003$15,808$1,751$228,925
2042$9,630$15,181$1,751$219,295
2043$10,302$14,509$1,751$208,993
2044$11,020$13,791$1,751$197,972
2045$11,789$13,022$1,751$186,184
2046$12,611$12,200$1,751$173,573
2047$13,490$11,321$1,751$160,083
2048$14,431$10,380$1,751$145,651
2049$15,437$9,374$1,751$130,214
2050$16,514$8,297$1,751$113,700
2051$17,665$7,145$1,751$96,035
2052$18,897$5,914$1,751$77,137
2053$20,215$4,596$1,751$56,922
2054$21,625$3,186$1,751$35,297
2055$23,133$1,678$1,751$12,165
2056$12,165$241$876$0
The key difference

FHA mortgage insurance is not the same as PMI

On a conventional loan, PMI comes off automatically once you reach 20% equity. FHA mortgage insurance works differently. There is an upfront premium (currently 1.75% of the loan, usually rolled into the balance) and an annual premium paid monthly. On an FHA loan taken with the minimum 3.5% down, that annual premium lasts the life of the loan unless you refinance out of FHA entirely.

Because of that, this calculator keeps the annual premium running for the whole term rather than dropping it at 20% equity, so the monthly cost and the lifetime total you see reflect how a low-down FHA loan really behaves.

Who it suits

When an FHA loan makes sense

FHA loans shine for buyers with smaller down payments or credit that is still recovering, since they allow lower scores than most conventional programs. The cost is the ongoing insurance. A common path is to start with FHA, build equity, then refinance to a conventional loan to drop the insurance once you qualify.

Questions & answers

Frequently asked

How much down do I need for an FHA loan?
As little as 3.5% with qualifying credit. Lower credit scores may require 10%. Enter your figure above to see the payment.
Does FHA mortgage insurance ever go away?
On a loan taken with the minimum 3.5% down, the annual premium lasts the life of the loan, so it does not cancel at 20% equity the way conventional PMI does. The usual way to remove it is to refinance out of FHA into a conventional loan once you have built enough equity.
What is the upfront FHA premium?
Currently 1.75% of the loan amount. It is usually financed into the balance rather than paid in cash at closing, which slightly raises your loan and payment.
Is an FHA loan cheaper than conventional?
It can be easier to qualify for and needs less down, but the ongoing insurance often makes it more expensive over time than a conventional loan with 20% down. Compare both in the calculator.
MF
Marcus Fielding· Mortgage analyst & editor
Published June 2026 · Updated September 2026
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