Beforeview

Data Sources & Methodology

Every dataset on Beforeview comes from US government or peer-reviewed nonpartisan sources. Below is the full list with refresh cadence and the formula behind each calculator.

Datasets

Formulas

  • Inflation calculator
    value_to = amount × (CPI_to / CPI_from)
    CAGR = (CPI_to / CPI_from)^(1/years) − 1.
  • Take-home pay
    net = gross − federal − state − social_security − medicare
    Federal: progressive brackets (IRS). State: flat or top-marginal. Social Security: 6.2% up to $176,100. Medicare: 1.45% (+0.9% over threshold).
  • Home affordability (28% rule)
    max_home_price = present_value(monthly_payment, rate/12, term_months); monthly_payment = (gross/12 × 0.28) × 0.75
    28% rule: housing costs ≤ 28% of gross income. We reserve 25% of the housing budget for property tax + insurance + HOA, leaving 75% for principal + interest. Excludes down payment, PMI, points.
  • Rent burden
    burden = (annual_rent / net_pay) × 100
    HUD classifies >30% as cost-burdened, >50% as severely cost-burdened. State medians smooth over metro/rural divergence — metro markets typically run 20-50% above state median.
  • Mortgage payment
    M = P × r(1+r)^n / ((1+r)^n − 1)
    P = principal, r = monthly rate, n = months. Does not include taxes, insurance, HOA or PMI.
  • EV home charging cost
    cost_per_100mi = (kWh_per_100mi / 100) × ¢_per_kWh
    Real-world cost varies with charger efficiency (~10% loss), weather, driving conditions.
  • Rent affordability (30% rule)
    max_rent_monthly = gross_annual / 12 × 0.30
    25% rule is a more conservative variant. Real eligibility depends on landlord and lender criteria.
  • Income percentile (state-adjusted)
    adjusted_income = income / (state_median / national_median); percentile = US distribution lookup
    Cost-of-living-adjusted comparison. Real state percentile distributions vary by source.
  • Occupation matching
    occupations whose median wage falls within ±15% of the queried income, sorted by absolute distance
    Career stage labels: entry ≈ 25th pct, mid = BLS median, senior ≈ 75th pct of the same SOC code. National medians — metro/state variance can run ±30%.

Data freshness:State tax rates, EV incentive programs, and sales tax holidays change frequently — sometimes mid-year. We update on a quarterly cadence and link to each agency's official source. Before any decision with real money on the line (relocation, vehicle purchase, large purchase), verify with the linked authoritative source.

Corrections: If you spot a data error, please write to [email protected]with the page URL and the issue. Public US government data is reused under each agency's open-data policy.