Can An Accountant Afford Rent in Waterloo, IL?
Comfortably affordable — rent takes 17.5% of gross income.
Waterloo rent: January 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Illinois state estimate).
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 Waterloo, which improves the affordability math on an accountant salary:
Compare with full rent data for Waterloo
View full rent data for Waterloo, IL →Frequently asked questions
Can an accountant afford rent in Waterloo, IL?
Median rent in Waterloo is $1,350 a month. A typical accountant in Illinois earns about $92,596 a year, which makes that rent 17.5% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is yes.
How much rent can an accountant afford in Waterloo?
Using the 30% rule, an accountant salary in Illinois (~$92,596/yr) supports up to $2,315 a month in rent. Waterloo's current median rent is $1,350/mo, which leaves a $965/mo buffer.
How many hours does an accountant work to cover rent in Waterloo?
At an hourly equivalent of about $45 an hour, an accountant in Illinois works roughly 30.3 hours a month to cover Waterloo's median rent of $1,350.
Where is rent cheaper than Waterloo for an accountant?
Nearby Illinois cities with lower median rent include Swansea ($1,349/mo), Champaign ($1,348/mo), Cicero ($1,345/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on an accountant salary.