Can A Nursing Assistant Afford Rent in Portsmouth, RI?

Rent-burdened — rent takes 98.4% of gross income.

Portsmouth rent: June 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Rhode Island state estimate).

Portsmouth median rent
$3,378/mo
Nursing Assistant salary (Rhode Island)
$41,194/yr
Rent as % of income
98.4%
Gross monthly income works out to about $3,433, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,030/mo in rent. Portsmouth's median rent of $3,378 exceeds that threshold by $2,348/mo, putting a nursing assistant salary into the rent-burdened range here. A nursing assistant works roughly 170.6 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 Rhode Island cities have lower median rent than Portsmouth, which improves the affordability math on a nursing assistant salary:

Newport, RI
$3,284/mo (95.7% of income)
Newport, RI
$3,281/mo (95.6% of income)
Middletown, RI
$3,229/mo (94.1% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Portsmouth

View full rent data for Portsmouth, RI

Frequently asked questions

Can a nursing assistant afford rent in Portsmouth, RI?

Median rent in Portsmouth is $3,378 a month. A typical nursing assistant in Rhode Island earns about $41,194 a year, which makes that rent 98.4% 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 Portsmouth?

Using the 30% rule, a nursing assistant salary in Rhode Island (~$41,194/yr) supports up to $1,030 a month in rent. Portsmouth's current median rent is $3,378/mo, which is $2,348/mo over the affordability threshold.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $20 an hour, a nursing assistant in Rhode Island works roughly 170.6 hours a month to cover Portsmouth's median rent of $3,378.

Where is rent cheaper than Portsmouth for a nursing assistant?

Nearby Rhode Island cities with lower median rent include Newport ($3,284/mo), Newport ($3,281/mo), Middletown ($3,229/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a nursing assistant salary.

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