Can A Nursing Assistant Afford Rent in Elizabethtown, KY?

Rent-burdened — rent takes 44% of gross income.

Elizabethtown rent: July 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Kentucky state estimate).

Elizabethtown median rent
$1,278/mo
Nursing Assistant salary (Kentucky)
$34,857/yr
Rent as % of income
44%
Gross monthly income works out to about $2,905, and the 30% rule supports up to $871/mo in rent. Elizabethtown's median rent of $1,278 exceeds that threshold by $407/mo, putting a nursing assistant salary into the rent-burdened range here. A nursing assistant works roughly 76.3 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 Kentucky cities have lower median rent than Elizabethtown, which improves the affordability math on a nursing assistant salary:

Bowling Green, KY
$1,277/mo (44% of income)
Paris, KY
$1,274/mo (43.9% of income)
Erlanger, KY
$1,271/mo (43.8% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Elizabethtown

View full rent data for Elizabethtown, KY

Frequently asked questions

Can a nursing assistant afford rent in Elizabethtown, KY?

Median rent in Elizabethtown is $1,278 a month. A typical nursing assistant in Kentucky earns about $34,857 a year, which makes that rent 44% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is no — rent exceeds the 30% threshold.

How much rent can a nursing assistant afford in Elizabethtown?

Using the 30% rule, a nursing assistant salary in Kentucky (~$34,857/yr) supports up to $871 a month in rent. Elizabethtown's current median rent is $1,278/mo, which is $407/mo over the affordability threshold.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $17 an hour, a nursing assistant in Kentucky works roughly 76.3 hours a month to cover Elizabethtown's median rent of $1,278.

Where is rent cheaper than Elizabethtown for a nursing assistant?

Nearby Kentucky cities with lower median rent include Bowling Green ($1,277/mo), Paris ($1,274/mo), Erlanger ($1,271/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a nursing assistant salary.

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