Can An Electrician Afford Rent in Barstow, CA?

Comfortably affordable — rent takes 19.2% of gross income.

Barstow rent: June 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (California state estimate).

Barstow median rent
$1,322/mo
Electrician salary (California)
$82,482/yr
Rent as % of income
19.2%
Gross monthly income works out to about $6,874, and the 30% rule supports up to $2,062/mo in rent. Barstow's median rent of $1,322 leaves roughly $740/mo of headroom under that threshold. An electrician works roughly 33.3 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 California cities have lower median rent than Barstow, which improves the affordability math on an electrician salary:

Red Bluff, CA
$1,321/mo (19.2% of income)
Red Bluff, CA
$1,316/mo (19.1% of income)
Oroville, CA
$1,315/mo (19.1% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Barstow

View full rent data for Barstow, CA

Frequently asked questions

Can an electrician afford rent in Barstow, CA?

Median rent in Barstow is $1,322 a month. A typical electrician in California earns about $82,482 a year, which makes that rent 19.2% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is yes.

How much rent can an electrician afford in Barstow?

Using the 30% rule, an electrician salary in California (~$82,482/yr) supports up to $2,062 a month in rent. Barstow's current median rent is $1,322/mo, which leaves a $740/mo buffer.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $40 an hour, an electrician in California works roughly 33.3 hours a month to cover Barstow's median rent of $1,322.

Where is rent cheaper than Barstow for an electrician?

Nearby California cities with lower median rent include Red Bluff ($1,321/mo), Red Bluff ($1,316/mo), Oroville ($1,315/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on an electrician salary.

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