Can An Elementary School Teacher Afford Rent in Ruston, LA?
Comfortably affordable — rent takes 29.7% of gross income.
Ruston rent: June 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Louisiana state estimate).
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 Louisiana cities have lower median rent than Ruston, which improves the affordability math on an elementary school teacher salary:
Compare with full rent data for Ruston
View full rent data for Ruston, LA →Frequently asked questions
Can an elementary school teacher afford rent in Ruston, LA?
Median rent in Ruston is $1,442 a month. A typical elementary school teacher in Louisiana earns about $58,360 a year, which makes that rent 29.7% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is yes.
How much rent can an elementary school teacher afford in Ruston?
Using the 30% rule, an elementary school teacher salary in Louisiana (~$58,360/yr) supports up to $1,459 a month in rent. Ruston's current median rent is $1,442/mo, which leaves a $17/mo buffer.
How many hours does an elementary school teacher work to cover rent in Ruston?
At an hourly equivalent of about $28 an hour, an elementary school teacher in Louisiana works roughly 51.4 hours a month to cover Ruston's median rent of $1,442.
Where is rent cheaper than Ruston for an elementary school teacher?
Nearby Louisiana cities with lower median rent include Slidell ($1,441/mo), Denham Springs ($1,440/mo), Slidell ($1,438/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on an elementary school teacher salary.