Runs in your browser · Last updated 7 September 2026
Free Break-Even Occupancy Calculator
Free break-even occupancy calculator for a rental. Occupancy that covers debt + opex (and a cash-flow target). Browser tool — nothing is uploaded.
Break-even occupancy = (annual debt + opex + target cash flow) ÷ potential gross rent. DSCR and NOI stay on the cash-flow and cap-rate pages. Over 100% means this rent cannot cover the note even if the unit is never vacant.
Break-even occupancy
85.4%
Vacancy room
14.6%
Feasible?
Yes
Potential gross rent
$26,400
Annual debt
$16,550
Required EGI
$22,550
How to use this tool
- Enter market rent at full occupancy and annual operating expenses.
- Enter price, down payment, rate, and term (or think of debt as implied).
- Optionally set a target cash flow. Read occupancy and vacancy room.
Worked example
$2,000 monthly rent ($24,000 potential gross), $6,000 opex, $12,000 debt: required EGI is $18,000, so break-even occupancy is 75% and vacancy room is 25%. A $300,000 purchase with 20% down at 7% / 30 years against $800 rent needs more than 100% occupancy — the rent cannot carry the note.
Frequently asked questions
- How is break-even occupancy calculated?
- (Annual debt service + operating expenses + target cash flow) ÷ potential gross rent at 100% occupancy. Vacancy room is 100% minus that.
- Is this DSCR?
- No. DSCR is NOI ÷ debt and lives on the rental cash-flow page. This page answers “how full does the building need to be?”
- Why not a dedicated NOI tool?
- NOI is already the core of the cap-rate calculator. This page only adds the occupancy identity.
- Over 100%?
- Even a never-vacant unit cannot cover the note plus opex at this rent. Raise rent, cut opex, or shrink the loan.
- Uploaded?
- No.