Can A Nursing Assistant Afford Rent in Pekin, IL?

Comfortably affordable — rent takes 25% of gross income.

Pekin rent: June 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Illinois state estimate).

Pekin median rent
$843/mo
Nursing Assistant salary (Illinois)
$40,402/yr
Rent as % of income
25%
Gross monthly income works out to about $3,367, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,010/mo in rent. Pekin's median rent of $843 leaves roughly $167/mo of headroom under that threshold. A nursing assistant works roughly 43.4 hours a month to cover that rent.

About rent and a nursing assistant salary

Nursing assistant (CNA) pay falls below the rent threshold for a one-bedroom in nearly every US metro, which is the central tension behind the widely studied direct-care workforce affordability gap. At the national-average CNA salary, the 30% rule supports about $990 a month in rent — below median rent in most cities. The per-city pages quantify how far below.

Cheaper rent nearby

These Illinois cities have lower median rent than Pekin, which improves the affordability math on a nursing assistant salary:

Rantoul, IL
$841/mo (25% of income)
Rantoul, IL
$841/mo (25% of income)
Danville, IL
$833/mo (24.7% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Pekin

View full rent data for Pekin, IL

Frequently asked questions

Can a nursing assistant afford rent in Pekin, IL?

Median rent in Pekin is $843 a month. A typical nursing assistant in Illinois earns about $40,402 a year, which makes that rent 25% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is yes.

How much rent can a nursing assistant afford in Pekin?

Using the 30% rule, a nursing assistant salary in Illinois (~$40,402/yr) supports up to $1,010 a month in rent. Pekin's current median rent is $843/mo, which leaves a $167/mo buffer.

How many hours does a nursing assistant work to cover rent in Pekin?

At an hourly equivalent of about $19 an hour, a nursing assistant in Illinois works roughly 43.4 hours a month to cover Pekin's median rent of $843.

Where is rent cheaper than Pekin for a nursing assistant?

Nearby Illinois cities with lower median rent include Rantoul ($841/mo), Rantoul ($841/mo), Danville ($833/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a nursing assistant salary.

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