Summary answer: On a $100,000 household income, standard lending guidelines put your realistic purchase price around $300,000–$350,000 — which in Arlington means you're almost certainly looking at a condo or a townhome, not a single-family house. Arlington's median home price is running roughly $750,000–$860,000 depending on the data source and property type, with single-family homes often exceeding $1 million. A $100K income alone doesn't reach that on conventional guidelines, but Arlington's strong condo market gives you a real path in.
I'm Johnny with JQ Real Estate. Let me show you exactly where $100K actually lands you in Arlington, because it's a very different answer than most of Northern Virginia.
The math, and why Arlington is different
Using the standard 28% front-end debt-to-income guideline, $100,000 in annual income gives you about $2,333/month for a full housing payment. At today's rates (30-year fixed averaging around 6.65% in late August 2026), that translates to a purchase price in the $300,000–$350,000 range with a typical down payment, or somewhat higher with a VA loan.
| Step | Estimate |
|---|---|
| Gross monthly income ($100K/yr) | $8,333 |
| Target housing payment (28% front-end ratio) | ~$2,333/mo |
| Realistic purchase price (10% down, current rates) | ~$300,000–$330,000 |
| Realistic purchase price (VA loan, 0% down, no PMI) | ~$340,000–$375,000 |
That number doesn't reach Arlington's $750K+ single-family median. But it fits comfortably inside Arlington's condo market, where prices in corridors like Columbia Pike and parts of Ballston/Clarendon run $300,000–$575,000 — a meaningfully different price point than the detached-home numbers you'll see quoted for "Arlington" in general.
Why single-family and condo numbers get blended together
A lot of the confusion buyers run into starts here: when someone says "Arlington homes cost $800K," they're usually blending single-family homes (often $1M+) with condos (often under $500K) into one county-wide average. If your budget is closer to $100K income territory, you're shopping in the condo and townhome segment specifically — and that market has actually softened somewhat, giving buyers a bit more room to negotiate than the single-family side of the market, where competition stays fierce.
What changes your number
- Property type — this is the single biggest lever in Arlington specifically; condos and single-family homes are effectively two different markets with two different price ceilings
- Loan type — a VA loan removes both the down payment and PMI, which stretches your realistic price range higher
- Down payment size — every additional 5% down meaningfully increases purchasing power
- HOA/condo fees — Arlington condos often carry $300–$600+/month in fees, which counts against your DTI just like a mortgage payment does, so a lower-priced condo with high fees may not actually qualify you for more than a slightly pricier one with low fees
- Existing debt — student loans or a car payment reduce your qualifying amount directly
What this looks like in practice
Most $100K-income buyers I work with in Arlington end up choosing between two paths: a well-located condo in a walkable corridor, or moving slightly further out toward Fairfax or Prince William County to get a single-family home at the same budget. Neither is the "wrong" choice — it depends on whether proximity to Arlington's Metro corridors and job centers is worth the trade-off in square footage.
Get your real number
General guidelines get you close, but your actual qualifying amount depends on your specific credit, debt, and down payment. I can connect you with a lender for a real pre-approval, and from there we can figure out whether Arlington's condo market or a nearby county makes more sense for your budget. Reach out and let's map it out.