Can A Chef Afford Rent in Elizabethtown, PA?

Comfortably affordable — rent takes 26.8% of gross income.

Elizabethtown rent: June 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Pennsylvania state estimate).

Elizabethtown median rent
$1,416/mo
Chef salary (Pennsylvania)
$63,509/yr
Rent as % of income
26.8%
Gross monthly income works out to about $5,292, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,588/mo in rent. Elizabethtown's median rent of $1,416 leaves roughly $172/mo of headroom under that threshold. A chef works roughly 46.4 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 Pennsylvania cities have lower median rent than Elizabethtown, which improves the affordability math on a chef salary:

Pottstown, PA
$1,415/mo (26.7% of income)
Philadelphia, PA
$1,412/mo (26.7% of income)
Coraopolis, PA
$1,412/mo (26.7% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Elizabethtown

View full rent data for Elizabethtown, PA

Frequently asked questions

Can a chef afford rent in Elizabethtown, PA?

Median rent in Elizabethtown is $1,416 a month. A typical chef in Pennsylvania earns about $63,509 a year, which makes that rent 26.8% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is yes.

How much rent can a chef afford in Elizabethtown?

Using the 30% rule, a chef salary in Pennsylvania (~$63,509/yr) supports up to $1,588 a month in rent. Elizabethtown's current median rent is $1,416/mo, which leaves a $172/mo buffer.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $31 an hour, a chef in Pennsylvania works roughly 46.4 hours a month to cover Elizabethtown's median rent of $1,416.

Where is rent cheaper than Elizabethtown for a chef?

Nearby Pennsylvania cities with lower median rent include Pottstown ($1,415/mo), Philadelphia ($1,412/mo), Coraopolis ($1,412/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a chef salary.

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