Rent Affordability for Dental Assistants in the US
As of May 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024. Rent: ZORI monthly.
National avg salary
$48,560/yr
Gross monthly
$4,047
Affordable rent (30% rule)
$1,214/mo
Dental assistant pay sits near the US median household income. At the national-average dental-assistant salary, the 30% rule supports about $1,214 a month in rent, which is achievable in most lower- and mid-cost metros.
Where rent is most affordable: states with the highest dental assistant pay
| State | Avg salary | Affordable rent | |
|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $60,700/yr | $1,518/mo | View cities › |
| California | $57,301/yr | $1,433/mo | View cities › |
| Massachusetts | $56,330/yr | $1,408/mo | View cities › |
| New York | $55,358/yr | $1,384/mo | View cities › |
| Alaska | $54,387/yr | $1,360/mo | View cities › |
| New Jersey | $54,387/yr | $1,360/mo | View cities › |
| Washington | $54,387/yr | $1,360/mo | View cities › |
| Connecticut | $53,416/yr | $1,335/mo | View cities › |
| Hawaii | $52,445/yr | $1,311/mo | View cities › |
| Maryland | $52,445/yr | $1,311/mo | View cities › |
Where rent stretches the salary furthest: states with the lowest dental assistant pay
| State | Avg salary | Affordable rent | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mississippi | $39,334/yr | $983/mo | View cities › |
| Arkansas | $40,305/yr | $1,008/mo | View cities › |
| West Virginia | $41,276/yr | $1,032/mo | View cities › |
| Alabama | $41,762/yr | $1,044/mo | View cities › |
| Louisiana | $42,247/yr | $1,056/mo | View cities › |
| South Dakota | $42,733/yr | $1,068/mo | View cities › |
| South Carolina | $42,733/yr | $1,068/mo | View cities › |
| Oklahoma | $42,733/yr | $1,068/mo | View cities › |
| Montana | $42,733/yr | $1,068/mo | View cities › |
| Kentucky | $42,733/yr | $1,068/mo | View cities › |
All states
District of ColumbiaCaliforniaMassachusettsNew YorkAlaskaNew JerseyWashingtonConnecticutHawaiiMarylandColoradoMinnesotaOregonRhode IslandNew HampshireDelawareIllinoisVirginiaPennsylvaniaTexasArizonaNevadaNorth DakotaVermontMichiganUtahGeorgiaWisconsinNorth CarolinaOhioWyomingFloridaMaineNebraskaIndianaIowaMissouriTennesseeKansasNew MexicoIdahoKentuckyMontanaOklahomaSouth CarolinaSouth DakotaLouisianaAlabamaWest VirginiaArkansasMississippi
Frequently asked questions
Can a dental assistant afford rent alone?
In most lower- and mid-cost US cities, yes. In high-cost coastal metros, dental-assistant pay alone is typically rent-burdened.
What rent can a dental assistant afford?
At the BLS national mean of $48,560, the 30% rule supports about $1,214 a month in rent.