Can A Nursing Assistant Afford Rent in Braintree, MA?

Rent-burdened — rent takes 78% of gross income.

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

Braintree median rent
$2,987/mo
Nursing Assistant salary (Massachusetts)
$45,948/yr
Rent as % of income
78%
Gross monthly income works out to about $3,829, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,149/mo in rent. Braintree's median rent of $2,987 exceeds that threshold by $1,838/mo, putting a nursing assistant salary into the rent-burdened range here. A nursing assistant works roughly 135.2 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 Braintree, which improves the affordability math on a nursing assistant salary:

Saugus, MA
$2,986/mo (78% of income)
Stoneham, MA
$2,983/mo (77.9% of income)
Bedford, MA
$2,982/mo (77.9% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Braintree

View full rent data for Braintree, MA

Frequently asked questions

Can a nursing assistant afford rent in Braintree, MA?

Median rent in Braintree is $2,987 a month. A typical nursing assistant in Massachusetts earns about $45,948 a year, which makes that rent 78% 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 Braintree?

Using the 30% rule, a nursing assistant salary in Massachusetts (~$45,948/yr) supports up to $1,149 a month in rent. Braintree's current median rent is $2,987/mo, which is $1,838/mo over the affordability threshold.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $22 an hour, a nursing assistant in Massachusetts works roughly 135.2 hours a month to cover Braintree's median rent of $2,987.

Where is rent cheaper than Braintree for a nursing assistant?

Nearby Massachusetts cities with lower median rent include Saugus ($2,986/mo), Stoneham ($2,983/mo), Bedford ($2,982/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 Braintree, MA. Affordability applies the 30% rule (rent ≤ 30% of gross income). Real take-home varies with taxes, household composition, overtime, tips, and benefits.