Can A Bartender Afford Rent in Pleasant Hill, IA?

Rent-burdened — rent takes 50% of gross income.

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

Pleasant Hill median rent
$1,346/mo
Bartender salary (Iowa)
$32,320/yr
Rent as % of income
50%
Gross monthly income works out to about $2,693, and the 30% rule supports up to $808/mo in rent. Pleasant Hill's median rent of $1,346 exceeds that threshold by $538/mo, putting a bartender salary into the rent-burdened range here. A bartender works roughly 86.6 hours a month to cover that rent.

About rent and a bartender salary

Declared bartender pay sits below the rent threshold for a one-bedroom in most US cities. Actual tip income in high-volume bars and fine-dining can push real take-home substantially higher. At the national-average declared bartender salary, the 30% rule supports about $878 a month in rent.

Cheaper rent nearby

These Iowa cities have lower median rent than Pleasant Hill, which improves the affordability math on a bartender salary:

North Liberty, IA
$1,345/mo (49.9% of income)
Cedar Falls, IA
$1,345/mo (49.9% of income)
Cedar Falls, IA
$1,344/mo (49.9% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Pleasant Hill

View full rent data for Pleasant Hill, IA

Frequently asked questions

Can a bartender afford rent in Pleasant Hill, IA?

Median rent in Pleasant Hill is $1,346 a month. A typical bartender in Iowa earns about $32,320 a year, which makes that rent 50% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is no — rent exceeds the 30% threshold.

How much rent can a bartender afford in Pleasant Hill?

Using the 30% rule, a bartender salary in Iowa (~$32,320/yr) supports up to $808 a month in rent. Pleasant Hill's current median rent is $1,346/mo, which is $538/mo over the affordability threshold.

How many hours does a bartender work to cover rent in Pleasant Hill?

At an hourly equivalent of about $16 an hour, a bartender in Iowa works roughly 86.6 hours a month to cover Pleasant Hill's median rent of $1,346.

Where is rent cheaper than Pleasant Hill for a bartender?

Nearby Iowa cities with lower median rent include North Liberty ($1,345/mo), Cedar Falls ($1,345/mo), Cedar Falls ($1,344/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a bartender salary.

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