Can An Electrician Afford Rent in Tempe, AZ?

Comfortably affordable — rent takes 29.5% of gross income.

Tempe rent: June 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Arizona state estimate).

Tempe median rent
$1,667/mo
Electrician salary (Arizona)
$67,803/yr
Rent as % of income
29.5%
Gross monthly income works out to about $5,650, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,695/mo in rent. Tempe's median rent of $1,667 leaves roughly $28/mo of headroom under that threshold. An electrician works roughly 51.1 hours a month to cover that rent.

About rent and an electrician salary

Electrician pay is competitive with many four-year-degree occupations and covers comfortable rent across most US metros. Union journeymen in high-cost cities often earn well above the BLS mean once overtime and benefits are counted, which expands affordability further. At the national-average electrician salary, the 30% rule supports about $1,748 a month in rent. The per-city pages show where rent stays in range and where it begins to pinch.

Cheaper rent nearby

These Arizona cities have lower median rent than Tempe, which improves the affordability math on an electrician salary:

Surprise, AZ
$1,656/mo (29.3% of income)
Buckeye, AZ
$1,654/mo (29.3% of income)
Casa Grande, AZ
$1,654/mo (29.3% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Tempe

View full rent data for Tempe, AZ

Frequently asked questions

Can an electrician afford rent in Tempe, AZ?

Median rent in Tempe is $1,667 a month. A typical electrician in Arizona earns about $67,803 a year, which makes that rent 29.5% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is yes.

How much rent can an electrician afford in Tempe?

Using the 30% rule, an electrician salary in Arizona (~$67,803/yr) supports up to $1,695 a month in rent. Tempe's current median rent is $1,667/mo, which leaves a $28/mo buffer.

How many hours does an electrician work to cover rent in Tempe?

At an hourly equivalent of about $33 an hour, an electrician in Arizona works roughly 51.1 hours a month to cover Tempe's median rent of $1,667.

Where is rent cheaper than Tempe for an electrician?

Nearby Arizona cities with lower median rent include Surprise ($1,656/mo), Buckeye ($1,654/mo), Casa Grande ($1,654/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on an electrician salary.

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