Can An Accountant Afford Rent in Ottawa, IL?

Comfortably affordable — rent takes 18% of gross income.

Ottawa rent: June 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Illinois state estimate).

Ottawa median rent
$1,391/mo
Accountant salary (Illinois)
$92,596/yr
Rent as % of income
18%
Gross monthly income works out to about $7,716, and the 30% rule supports up to $2,315/mo in rent. Ottawa's median rent of $1,391 leaves roughly $924/mo of headroom under that threshold. An accountant works roughly 31.2 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 Illinois cities have lower median rent than Ottawa, which improves the affordability math on an accountant salary:

Swansea, IL
$1,390/mo (18% of income)
Saint Charles, IL
$1,390/mo (18% of income)
Cahokia, IL
$1,390/mo (18% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Ottawa

View full rent data for Ottawa, IL

Frequently asked questions

Can an accountant afford rent in Ottawa, IL?

Median rent in Ottawa is $1,391 a month. A typical accountant in Illinois earns about $92,596 a year, which makes that rent 18% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is yes.

How much rent can an accountant afford in Ottawa?

Using the 30% rule, an accountant salary in Illinois (~$92,596/yr) supports up to $2,315 a month in rent. Ottawa's current median rent is $1,391/mo, which leaves a $924/mo buffer.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $45 an hour, an accountant in Illinois works roughly 31.2 hours a month to cover Ottawa's median rent of $1,391.

Where is rent cheaper than Ottawa for an accountant?

Nearby Illinois cities with lower median rent include Swansea ($1,390/mo), Saint Charles ($1,390/mo), Cahokia ($1,390/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on an accountant salary.

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