Can A Nursing Assistant Afford Rent in Elizabethtown, PA?

Rent-burdened — rent takes 43.3% of gross income.

Elizabethtown rent: June 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Pennsylvania state estimate).

Elizabethtown median rent
$1,416/mo
Nursing Assistant salary (Pennsylvania)
$39,214/yr
Rent as % of income
43.3%
Gross monthly income works out to about $3,268, and the 30% rule supports up to $980/mo in rent. Elizabethtown's median rent of $1,416 exceeds that threshold by $436/mo, putting a nursing assistant salary into the rent-burdened range here. A nursing assistant works roughly 75.1 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 Pennsylvania cities have lower median rent than Elizabethtown, which improves the affordability math on a nursing assistant salary:

Pottstown, PA
$1,415/mo (43.3% of income)
Philadelphia, PA
$1,412/mo (43.2% of income)
Coraopolis, PA
$1,412/mo (43.2% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Elizabethtown

View full rent data for Elizabethtown, PA

Frequently asked questions

Can a nursing assistant afford rent in Elizabethtown, PA?

Median rent in Elizabethtown is $1,416 a month. A typical nursing assistant in Pennsylvania earns about $39,214 a year, which makes that rent 43.3% 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 Pennsylvania (~$39,214/yr) supports up to $980 a month in rent. Elizabethtown's current median rent is $1,416/mo, which is $436/mo over the affordability threshold.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $19 an hour, a nursing assistant in Pennsylvania works roughly 75.1 hours a month to cover Elizabethtown's median rent of $1,416.

Where is rent cheaper than Elizabethtown for a nursing assistant?

Nearby Pennsylvania cities with lower median rent include Pottstown ($1,415/mo), Philadelphia ($1,412/mo), Coraopolis ($1,412/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a nursing assistant salary.

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