Can A Nursing Assistant Afford Rent in Barnstable, MA?

Rent-burdened — rent takes 76.6% of gross income.

Barnstable rent: June 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Massachusetts state estimate).

Barnstable median rent
$2,932/mo
Nursing Assistant salary (Massachusetts)
$45,948/yr
Rent as % of income
76.6%
Gross monthly income works out to about $3,829, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,149/mo in rent. Barnstable's median rent of $2,932 exceeds that threshold by $1,783/mo, putting a nursing assistant salary into the rent-burdened range here. A nursing assistant works roughly 132.7 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 Massachusetts cities have lower median rent than Barnstable, which improves the affordability math on a nursing assistant salary:

Brookline, MA
$2,927/mo (76.4% of income)
Stoneham, MA
$2,926/mo (76.4% of income)
Swampscott, MA
$2,926/mo (76.4% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Barnstable

View full rent data for Barnstable, MA

Frequently asked questions

Can a nursing assistant afford rent in Barnstable, MA?

Median rent in Barnstable is $2,932 a month. A typical nursing assistant in Massachusetts earns about $45,948 a year, which makes that rent 76.6% 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 Barnstable?

Using the 30% rule, a nursing assistant salary in Massachusetts (~$45,948/yr) supports up to $1,149 a month in rent. Barnstable's current median rent is $2,932/mo, which is $1,783/mo over the affordability threshold.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $22 an hour, a nursing assistant in Massachusetts works roughly 132.7 hours a month to cover Barnstable's median rent of $2,932.

Where is rent cheaper than Barnstable for a nursing assistant?

Nearby Massachusetts cities with lower median rent include Brookline ($2,927/mo), Stoneham ($2,926/mo), Swampscott ($2,926/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a nursing assistant salary.

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