Can A Carpenter Afford Rent in Dayton, TN?

Comfortably affordable — rent takes 17.4% of gross income.

Dayton rent: January 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Tennessee state estimate).

Dayton median rent
$815/mo
Carpenter salary (Tennessee)
$56,065/yr
Rent as % of income
17.4%
Gross monthly income works out to about $4,672, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,402/mo in rent. Dayton's median rent of $815 leaves roughly $587/mo of headroom under that threshold. A carpenter works roughly 30.2 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 Tennessee cities have lower median rent than Dayton, which improves the affordability math on a carpenter salary:

Dyersburg, TN
$812/mo (17.4% of income)
Dyersburg, TN
$781/mo (16.7% of income)
Dyersburg, TN
$768/mo (16.4% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Dayton

View full rent data for Dayton, TN

Frequently asked questions

Can a carpenter afford rent in Dayton, TN?

Median rent in Dayton is $815 a month. A typical carpenter in Tennessee earns about $56,065 a year, which makes that rent 17.4% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is yes.

How much rent can a carpenter afford in Dayton?

Using the 30% rule, a carpenter salary in Tennessee (~$56,065/yr) supports up to $1,402 a month in rent. Dayton's current median rent is $815/mo, which leaves a $587/mo buffer.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $27 an hour, a carpenter in Tennessee works roughly 30.2 hours a month to cover Dayton's median rent of $815.

Where is rent cheaper than Dayton for a carpenter?

Nearby Tennessee cities with lower median rent include Dyersburg ($812/mo), Dyersburg ($781/mo), Dyersburg ($768/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a carpenter salary.

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