Can An Elementary School Teacher Afford Rent in Palm Coast, FL?

Stretched but workable — rent takes 37% of gross income.

Palm Coast rent: June 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Florida state estimate).

Palm Coast median rent
$1,925/mo
Elementary School Teacher salary (Florida)
$62,384/yr
Rent as % of income
37%
Gross monthly income works out to about $5,199, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,560/mo in rent. Palm Coast's median rent of $1,925 exceeds that threshold by $365/mo, putting an elementary school teacher salary into the rent-burdened range here. An elementary school teacher works roughly 64.2 hours a month to cover that rent.

About rent and an elementary school teacher salary

Teacher affordability is one of the sharpest local-rent lenses available, because public-school pay scales are set by state and district while rent is set by local market conditions. The result is that two teachers with identical credentials can face very different rent burdens depending on where they teach. At the national-average teacher salary, the 30% rule supports about $1,677 a month in rent — comfortable in most of the Midwest and South, tight in mid-cost cities, and out of reach without roommates in the most expensive coastal markets. The per-city pages below combine local rent with local teacher-pay estimates to show where the math works.

Cheaper rent nearby

These Florida cities have lower median rent than Palm Coast, which improves the affordability math on an elementary school teacher salary:

Middleburg, FL
$1,924/mo (37% of income)
Santa Rosa Beach, FL
$1,924/mo (37% of income)
Santa Rosa Beach, FL
$1,924/mo (37% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Palm Coast

View full rent data for Palm Coast, FL

Frequently asked questions

Can an elementary school teacher afford rent in Palm Coast, FL?

Median rent in Palm Coast is $1,925 a month. A typical elementary school teacher in Florida earns about $62,384 a year, which makes that rent 37% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is no — rent exceeds the 30% threshold.

How much rent can an elementary school teacher afford in Palm Coast?

Using the 30% rule, an elementary school teacher salary in Florida (~$62,384/yr) supports up to $1,560 a month in rent. Palm Coast's current median rent is $1,925/mo, which is $365/mo over the affordability threshold.

How many hours does an elementary school teacher work to cover rent in Palm Coast?

At an hourly equivalent of about $30 an hour, an elementary school teacher in Florida works roughly 64.2 hours a month to cover Palm Coast's median rent of $1,925.

Where is rent cheaper than Palm Coast for an elementary school teacher?

Nearby Florida cities with lower median rent include Middleburg ($1,924/mo), Santa Rosa Beach ($1,924/mo), Santa Rosa Beach ($1,924/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on an elementary school teacher salary.

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