Can A Chef Afford Rent in Kaukauna, WI?

Comfortably affordable — rent takes 22% of gross income.

Kaukauna rent: June 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Wisconsin state estimate).

Kaukauna median rent
$1,116/mo
Chef salary (Wisconsin)
$60,943/yr
Rent as % of income
22%
Gross monthly income works out to about $5,079, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,524/mo in rent. Kaukauna's median rent of $1,116 leaves roughly $408/mo of headroom under that threshold. A chef works roughly 38.1 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 Wisconsin cities have lower median rent than Kaukauna, which improves the affordability math on a chef salary:

Fond du Lac, WI
$1,115/mo (22% of income)
Appleton, WI
$1,114/mo (21.9% of income)
Oshkosh, WI
$1,114/mo (21.9% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Kaukauna

View full rent data for Kaukauna, WI

Frequently asked questions

Can a chef afford rent in Kaukauna, WI?

Median rent in Kaukauna is $1,116 a month. A typical chef in Wisconsin earns about $60,943 a year, which makes that rent 22% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is yes.

How much rent can a chef afford in Kaukauna?

Using the 30% rule, a chef salary in Wisconsin (~$60,943/yr) supports up to $1,524 a month in rent. Kaukauna's current median rent is $1,116/mo, which leaves a $408/mo buffer.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $29 an hour, a chef in Wisconsin works roughly 38.1 hours a month to cover Kaukauna's median rent of $1,116.

Where is rent cheaper than Kaukauna for a chef?

Nearby Wisconsin cities with lower median rent include Fond du Lac ($1,115/mo), Appleton ($1,114/mo), Oshkosh ($1,114/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a chef salary.

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