Can An Accountant Afford Rent in Altoona, IA?

Comfortably affordable — rent takes 20.6% of gross income.

Altoona rent: June 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Iowa state estimate).

Altoona median rent
$1,436/mo
Accountant salary (Iowa)
$83,518/yr
Rent as % of income
20.6%
Gross monthly income works out to about $6,960, and the 30% rule supports up to $2,088/mo in rent. Altoona's median rent of $1,436 leaves roughly $652/mo of headroom under that threshold. An accountant works roughly 35.8 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 Iowa cities have lower median rent than Altoona, which improves the affordability math on an accountant salary:

Grimes, IA
$1,435/mo (20.6% of income)
Johnston, IA
$1,432/mo (20.6% of income)
Johnston, IA
$1,430/mo (20.5% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Altoona

View full rent data for Altoona, IA

Frequently asked questions

Can an accountant afford rent in Altoona, IA?

Median rent in Altoona is $1,436 a month. A typical accountant in Iowa earns about $83,518 a year, which makes that rent 20.6% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is yes.

How much rent can an accountant afford in Altoona?

Using the 30% rule, an accountant salary in Iowa (~$83,518/yr) supports up to $2,088 a month in rent. Altoona's current median rent is $1,436/mo, which leaves a $652/mo buffer.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $40 an hour, an accountant in Iowa works roughly 35.8 hours a month to cover Altoona's median rent of $1,436.

Where is rent cheaper than Altoona for an accountant?

Nearby Iowa cities with lower median rent include Grimes ($1,435/mo), Johnston ($1,432/mo), Johnston ($1,430/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on an accountant salary.

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