Can A Chef Afford Rent in Brownsville, TN?

Comfortably affordable — rent takes 19% of gross income.

Brownsville rent: June 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Tennessee state estimate).

Brownsville median rent
$932/mo
Chef salary (Tennessee)
$59,018/yr
Rent as % of income
19%
Gross monthly income works out to about $4,918, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,475/mo in rent. Brownsville's median rent of $932 leaves roughly $543/mo of headroom under that threshold. A chef works roughly 32.8 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 Tennessee cities have lower median rent than Brownsville, which improves the affordability math on a chef salary:

Martin, TN
$930/mo (18.9% of income)
Johnson City, TN
$928/mo (18.9% of income)
Greeneville, TN
$925/mo (18.8% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Brownsville

View full rent data for Brownsville, TN

Frequently asked questions

Can a chef afford rent in Brownsville, TN?

Median rent in Brownsville is $932 a month. A typical chef in Tennessee earns about $59,018 a year, which makes that rent 19% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is yes.

How much rent can a chef afford in Brownsville?

Using the 30% rule, a chef salary in Tennessee (~$59,018/yr) supports up to $1,475 a month in rent. Brownsville's current median rent is $932/mo, which leaves a $543/mo buffer.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $28 an hour, a chef in Tennessee works roughly 32.8 hours a month to cover Brownsville's median rent of $932.

Where is rent cheaper than Brownsville for a chef?

Nearby Tennessee cities with lower median rent include Martin ($930/mo), Johnson City ($928/mo), Greeneville ($925/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a chef salary.

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