Can A Chef Afford Rent in Pleasant Hill, IA?

Comfortably affordable — rent takes 27.4% of gross income.

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

Pleasant Hill median rent
$1,346/mo
Chef salary (Iowa)
$59,018/yr
Rent as % of income
27.4%
Gross monthly income works out to about $4,918, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,475/mo in rent. Pleasant Hill's median rent of $1,346 leaves roughly $129/mo of headroom under that threshold. A chef works roughly 47.4 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 Iowa cities have lower median rent than Pleasant Hill, which improves the affordability math on a chef salary:

North Liberty, IA
$1,345/mo (27.3% of income)
Cedar Falls, IA
$1,345/mo (27.3% of income)
Cedar Falls, IA
$1,344/mo (27.3% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Pleasant Hill

View full rent data for Pleasant Hill, IA

Frequently asked questions

Can a chef afford rent in Pleasant Hill, IA?

Median rent in Pleasant Hill is $1,346 a month. A typical chef in Iowa earns about $59,018 a year, which makes that rent 27.4% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is yes.

How much rent can a chef afford in Pleasant Hill?

Using the 30% rule, a chef salary in Iowa (~$59,018/yr) supports up to $1,475 a month in rent. Pleasant Hill's current median rent is $1,346/mo, which leaves a $129/mo buffer.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $28 an hour, a chef in Iowa works roughly 47.4 hours a month to cover Pleasant Hill's median rent of $1,346.

Where is rent cheaper than Pleasant Hill for a chef?

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 chef 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.