Can A Carpenter Afford Rent in Kearny, NJ?

Rent-burdened — rent takes 40.5% of gross income.

Kearny rent: June 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (New Jersey state estimate).

Kearny median rent
$2,301/mo
Carpenter salary (New Jersey)
$68,253/yr
Rent as % of income
40.5%
Gross monthly income works out to about $5,688, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,706/mo in rent. Kearny's median rent of $2,301 exceeds that threshold by $595/mo, putting a carpenter salary into the rent-burdened range here. A carpenter works roughly 70.1 hours a month to cover that rent.

About rent and a carpenter salary

Carpenter pay sits modestly above the US median household income and covers comfortable rent in most lower- and mid-cost metros. Union carpenters in high-cost cities often earn well above the BLS mean. At the national-average carpenter salary, the 30% rule supports about $1,524 a month in rent.

Cheaper rent nearby

These New Jersey cities have lower median rent than Kearny, which improves the affordability math on a carpenter salary:

Ridgefield Park, NJ
$2,300/mo (40.4% of income)
Bayonne, NJ
$2,300/mo (40.4% of income)
Passaic, NJ
$2,300/mo (40.4% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Kearny

View full rent data for Kearny, NJ

Frequently asked questions

Can a carpenter afford rent in Kearny, NJ?

Median rent in Kearny is $2,301 a month. A typical carpenter in New Jersey earns about $68,253 a year, which makes that rent 40.5% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is no — rent exceeds the 30% threshold.

How much rent can a carpenter afford in Kearny?

Using the 30% rule, a carpenter salary in New Jersey (~$68,253/yr) supports up to $1,706 a month in rent. Kearny's current median rent is $2,301/mo, which is $595/mo over the affordability threshold.

How many hours does a carpenter work to cover rent in Kearny?

At an hourly equivalent of about $33 an hour, a carpenter in New Jersey works roughly 70.1 hours a month to cover Kearny's median rent of $2,301.

Where is rent cheaper than Kearny for a carpenter?

Nearby New Jersey cities with lower median rent include Ridgefield Park ($2,300/mo), Bayonne ($2,300/mo), Passaic ($2,300/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a carpenter salary.

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