Can A Chef Afford Rent in Mountain Home, AR?

Comfortably affordable — rent takes 26.7% of gross income.

Mountain Home rent: June 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Arkansas state estimate).

Mountain Home median rent
$1,183/mo
Chef salary (Arkansas)
$53,245/yr
Rent as % of income
26.7%
Gross monthly income works out to about $4,437, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,331/mo in rent. Mountain Home's median rent of $1,183 leaves roughly $148/mo of headroom under that threshold. A chef works roughly 46.2 hours a month to cover that rent.

About rent and a chef salary

Chef pay varies sharply by restaurant type, with executive chefs at high-end establishments earning materially above the BLS mean. At the national-average chef salary, the 30% rule supports about $1,604 a month in rent.

Cheaper rent nearby

These Arkansas cities have lower median rent than Mountain Home, which improves the affordability math on a chef salary:

Fayetteville, AR
$1,176/mo (26.5% of income)
Little Rock, AR
$1,174/mo (26.5% of income)
Little Rock, AR
$1,171/mo (26.4% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Mountain Home

View full rent data for Mountain Home, AR

Frequently asked questions

Can a chef afford rent in Mountain Home, AR?

Median rent in Mountain Home is $1,183 a month. A typical chef in Arkansas earns about $53,245 a year, which makes that rent 26.7% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is yes.

How much rent can a chef afford in Mountain Home?

Using the 30% rule, a chef salary in Arkansas (~$53,245/yr) supports up to $1,331 a month in rent. Mountain Home's current median rent is $1,183/mo, which leaves a $148/mo buffer.

How many hours does a chef work to cover rent in Mountain Home?

At an hourly equivalent of about $26 an hour, a chef in Arkansas works roughly 46.2 hours a month to cover Mountain Home's median rent of $1,183.

Where is rent cheaper than Mountain Home for a chef?

Nearby Arkansas cities with lower median rent include Fayetteville ($1,176/mo), Little Rock ($1,174/mo), Little Rock ($1,171/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a chef salary.

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