How much rent can I afford making $35 an hour?
Up to $1,820 a month. Full time, $35 an hour is $72,800 a year, and the 30% rule keeps rent at that line.1
By Sol Lakein, founder of Slower Sundays. Updated November 2026.
Where a 2-bedroom fits on $35 an hour
The 12 priciest metros that still fit.2
| Metro | 2-bedroom |
|---|---|
| Charleston, SC | $1,817 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth, TX | $1,794 |
| Atlanta, GA | $1,781 |
| Baltimore, MD | $1,764 |
| Worcester, MA | $1,757 |
| Melbourne, FL | $1,755 |
| Hartford, CT | $1,731 |
| Philadelphia, PA | $1,723 |
| Salt Lake City, UT | $1,721 |
| Colorado Springs, CO | $1,701 |
| Richmond, VA | $1,684 |
| Savannah, GA | $1,676 |
Where a 1-bedroom fits on $35 an hour
The 12 priciest metros that still fit.2
| Metro | 1-bedroom |
|---|---|
| Miami, FL | $1,818 |
| Charleston, SC | $1,788 |
| New York City, NY | $1,774 |
| Denver, CO | $1,714 |
| Sarasota, FL | $1,706 |
| Fort Myers, FL | $1,704 |
| Honolulu, HI | $1,693 |
| Orlando, FL | $1,680 |
| Riverside, CA | $1,647 |
| Tampa, FL | $1,620 |
| Portland, OR | $1,600 |
| Sacramento, CA | $1,596 |
Run your own numbers
$35 an hour: questions people ask
How much rent can I afford making $35 an hour?
Full time, $35 an hour is $72,800 a year before tax. At 30% of that, rent should stay at or under $1,820 a month.
Can I afford a 1-bedroom on $35 an hour?
In 109 of the 118 metros we track, the median 1-bedroom rent is at or under $1,820. The US median 1-bedroom is $1,362 (Census ACS, 2025).
What hourly wage do I need for the US median 2-bedroom?
About $30.06 an hour keeps the US median 2-bedroom rent of $1,563 at 30% of full-time pay.
Other wages
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Notes on the numbers
- 1The 30% rule: rent at or under 30% of gross income, HUD's long-standing cost burden line. Full time is 40 hours a week for 52 weeks (2,080 hours). Our arithmetic.
- 2Rent: Census ACS 2025 1-year, table B25031, median gross rent by number of bedrooms (rent plus utilities the renter pays), 2025. Covers all renters, so new leases often cost more. Census table