NAR Denver research
How Do Childcare and Other Monthly Costs Change My Homebuying Budget?
What does this mean for my decision?
Money committed to other recurring costs leaves less room in a fixed housing budget. In our hypothetical 6.5%, 30-year calculation, $1,000 a month equals the P&I payment on about $158,211 of mortgage principal. Use your actual family costs to set a sustainable budget before shopping.
By Rick Janson, JD/MBA Realtor®
Published
How can I use these findings?
Write down the recurring obligations you expect to keep after moving, then reserve room for savings and variable expenses before assigning the housing amount. Use the sensitivity table to see how changing a commitment changes the room in that budget. If a cost will end or begin later, test both periods. The $1,000 figure is an illustration rather than a Denver childcare estimate, and the borrowing equivalent is household arithmetic rather than the calculation a lender will use to approve a loan.
What changed in the national buyer profile?
The supplied NAR slide shows buyers with children under 18 declining from 58% in 1985 to 24% in 2025. Our calculation is a34-point decline, or 58.6% relative to the earlier share. It describes the composition of buyers, not the prevalence of families among all households.
The presentation discusses age and childcare as context. This study does not estimate how much of the national change is caused by childcare, birth rates, buyer age or delayed entry into homeownership.
Scroll horizontally to see all columns.
| Year | Buyers with children under 18 (%) |
|---|---|
| 1985 | 58 |
| 2025 | 24 |
Sources: NAR: Dr. Jessica Lautz, Leaders in Luxury presentation, October 12, 2026; underlying research resources; NAR 2025 Profile release: July 2024–June 2025 primary-residence buyer transactions
How does another recurring commitment translate into borrowing?
We hold the total recurring budget fixed and convert selected hypothetical expenses into an equivalent P&I amount. For each$1,000 a month directed elsewhere, the arithmetic accommodates about$158,211 less mortgage principal at the stated rate and term.
The model does not assume childcare costs a particular amount in Denver. The selected amounts are sensitivity inputs and can represent any recurring commitment. Taxes, insurance, mortgage insurance and other loan conditions are not modeled.
Scroll horizontally to see all columns.
| Other monthly commitment ($) | Equivalent loan principal at 6.5% ($) | Equivalent price with 20% down ($) |
|---|---|---|
| 500 | 79105 | 98882 |
| 1000 | 158211 | 197764 |
| 1500 | 237316 | 296645 |
| 2000 | 316422 | 395527 |
Sources: Consumer Financial Protection Bureau: understanding a Loan Estimate and full payment components
How should this connect with county price differences?
The local September median price difference between Boulder and Adams was$338,864. Budget commitments and geography can both change the feasible property set, but the research does not claim one county offers equivalent homes or lower total family costs.
A meaningful search budget therefore needs both a property comparison and an honest list of non-housing expenses. A national median buyer age or family share does not provide either.
Companion guide: How Can I Plan a Denver Home Purchase Around Childcare and Family Costs?
Related research