Can An Accountant Afford Rent in Tempe, AZ?

Comfortably affordable — rent takes 22.7% of gross income.

Tempe rent: June 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Arizona state estimate).

Tempe median rent
$1,667/mo
Accountant salary (Arizona)
$88,057/yr
Rent as % of income
22.7%
Gross monthly income works out to about $7,338, and the 30% rule supports up to $2,201/mo in rent. Tempe's median rent of $1,667 leaves roughly $534/mo of headroom under that threshold. An accountant works roughly 39.4 hours a month to cover that rent.

About rent and an accountant salary

Accountant pay covers comfortable rent in nearly every US city. The cost-of-living premium that high-cost metros add to rent is offset, in most cases, by higher local accountant pay — but not entirely. At the national-average accountant salary, the 30% rule supports about $2,270 a month in rent, which is above the median rent in most metros tracked here. The per-city pages quantify the surplus or pinch in each market.

Cheaper rent nearby

These Arizona cities have lower median rent than Tempe, which improves the affordability math on an accountant salary:

Surprise, AZ
$1,656/mo (22.6% of income)
Buckeye, AZ
$1,654/mo (22.5% of income)
Casa Grande, AZ
$1,654/mo (22.5% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Tempe

View full rent data for Tempe, AZ

Frequently asked questions

Can an accountant afford rent in Tempe, AZ?

Median rent in Tempe is $1,667 a month. A typical accountant in Arizona earns about $88,057 a year, which makes that rent 22.7% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is yes.

How much rent can an accountant afford in Tempe?

Using the 30% rule, an accountant salary in Arizona (~$88,057/yr) supports up to $2,201 a month in rent. Tempe's current median rent is $1,667/mo, which leaves a $534/mo buffer.

How many hours does an accountant work to cover rent in Tempe?

At an hourly equivalent of about $42 an hour, an accountant in Arizona works roughly 39.4 hours a month to cover Tempe's median rent of $1,667.

Where is rent cheaper than Tempe for an accountant?

Nearby Arizona cities with lower median rent include Surprise ($1,656/mo), Buckeye ($1,654/mo), Casa Grande ($1,654/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on an accountant salary.

Methodology: Salary uses the BLS-derived Arizona state estimate from OEWS May 2024. Rent is the most recent ZORI monthly value for Tempe, AZ. Affordability applies the 30% rule (rent ≤ 30% of gross income). Real take-home varies with taxes, household composition, overtime, tips, and benefits.