How much rent can you afford in Waterville, ME?
Run your salary against Waterville's current rent, or find the income you'd need for a target rent. Powered by live RentDataNow medians.
The 30% rent rule, in Waterville
At a median rent of $1,342/mo, Waterville is moderately stretched when measured against Waterville median household income of $53,580/yr. Rent would consume roughly 30% of pre-tax income, and a salary of about $53,680 keeps rent at the recommended 30% threshold.
How Waterville compares nearby
Median rent for the closest cities with data.
Frequently asked
How much rent can I afford in Waterville?
On a $53,580 salary (the Waterville median household income), the recommended ceiling is 30% of pre-tax income, or about $1,340/mo. Waterville's median rent is $1,342/mo. Use the calculator on this page to run your own salary.
What salary do I need to live in Waterville?
To keep Waterville's $1,342/mo median rent under 30% of income, you'd need about $53,680/yr. Lower your target share (e.g. 25%) to need more, or raise it (e.g. 40%) to need less.
Is Waterville affordable on the median Maine income?
Waterville is moderately stretched on a $53,580 income. Rent would take 30% of pre-tax pay, outside the recommended 30% threshold.
What's the 30% rent rule?
The 30% rule is a long-standing budgeting guideline that keeps rent at or below 30% of gross (pre-tax) income. It leaves enough room for utilities, transit, savings, and debt service. In high-cost markets, many renters exceed 30%, and the Census Bureau classifies households paying more than 30% of income on rent as "cost-burdened".