Can An Electrician Afford Rent in Fort Dodge, IA?

Comfortably affordable — rent takes 15.7% of gross income.

Fort Dodge rent: June 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Iowa state estimate).

Fort Dodge median rent
$843/mo
Electrician salary (Iowa)
$64,308/yr
Rent as % of income
15.7%
Gross monthly income works out to about $5,359, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,608/mo in rent. Fort Dodge's median rent of $843 leaves roughly $765/mo of headroom under that threshold. An electrician works roughly 27.3 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 Iowa cities have lower median rent than Fort Dodge, which improves the affordability math on an electrician salary:

Waterloo, IA
$842/mo (15.7% of income)
Waterloo, IA
$840/mo (15.7% of income)
Ames, IA
$839/mo (15.7% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Fort Dodge

View full rent data for Fort Dodge, IA

Frequently asked questions

Can an electrician afford rent in Fort Dodge, IA?

Median rent in Fort Dodge is $843 a month. A typical electrician in Iowa earns about $64,308 a year, which makes that rent 15.7% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is yes.

How much rent can an electrician afford in Fort Dodge?

Using the 30% rule, an electrician salary in Iowa (~$64,308/yr) supports up to $1,608 a month in rent. Fort Dodge's current median rent is $843/mo, which leaves a $765/mo buffer.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $31 an hour, an electrician in Iowa works roughly 27.3 hours a month to cover Fort Dodge's median rent of $843.

Where is rent cheaper than Fort Dodge for an electrician?

Nearby Iowa cities with lower median rent include Waterloo ($842/mo), Waterloo ($840/mo), Ames ($839/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on an electrician salary.

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