Can A Nursing Assistant Afford Rent in New Castle, PA?

Comfortably affordable — rent takes 29% of gross income.

New Castle rent: July 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Pennsylvania state estimate).

New Castle median rent
$949/mo
Nursing Assistant salary (Pennsylvania)
$39,214/yr
Rent as % of income
29%
Gross monthly income works out to about $3,268, and the 30% rule supports up to $980/mo in rent. New Castle's median rent of $949 leaves roughly $31/mo of headroom under that threshold. A nursing assistant works roughly 50.3 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 Pennsylvania cities have lower median rent than New Castle, which improves the affordability math on a nursing assistant salary:

Lock Haven, PA
$947/mo (29% of income)
Reading, PA
$947/mo (29% of income)
Latrobe, PA
$946/mo (28.9% of income)

Compare with full rent data for New Castle

View full rent data for New Castle, PA

Frequently asked questions

Can a nursing assistant afford rent in New Castle, PA?

Median rent in New Castle is $949 a month. A typical nursing assistant in Pennsylvania earns about $39,214 a year, which makes that rent 29% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is yes.

How much rent can a nursing assistant afford in New Castle?

Using the 30% rule, a nursing assistant salary in Pennsylvania (~$39,214/yr) supports up to $980 a month in rent. New Castle's current median rent is $949/mo, which leaves a $31/mo buffer.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $19 an hour, a nursing assistant in Pennsylvania works roughly 50.3 hours a month to cover New Castle's median rent of $949.

Where is rent cheaper than New Castle for a nursing assistant?

Nearby Pennsylvania cities with lower median rent include Lock Haven ($947/mo), Reading ($947/mo), Latrobe ($946/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 New Castle, PA. Affordability applies the 30% rule (rent ≤ 30% of gross income). Real take-home varies with taxes, household composition, overtime, tips, and benefits.