Can An Elementary School Teacher Afford Rent in Media, PA?
Rent-burdened — rent takes 45% of gross income.
Media rent: June 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Pennsylvania 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 Pennsylvania cities have lower median rent than Media, which improves the affordability math on an elementary school teacher salary:
Compare with full rent data for Media
View full rent data for Media, PA →Frequently asked questions
Can an elementary school teacher afford rent in Media, PA?
Median rent in Media is $2,488 a month. A typical elementary school teacher in Pennsylvania earns about $66,409 a year, which makes that rent 45% 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 Media?
Using the 30% rule, an elementary school teacher salary in Pennsylvania (~$66,409/yr) supports up to $1,660 a month in rent. Media's current median rent is $2,488/mo, which is $828/mo over the affordability threshold.
How many hours does an elementary school teacher work to cover rent in Media?
At an hourly equivalent of about $32 an hour, an elementary school teacher in Pennsylvania works roughly 77.9 hours a month to cover Media's median rent of $2,488.
Where is rent cheaper than Media for an elementary school teacher?
Nearby Pennsylvania cities with lower median rent include Ardmore ($2,485/mo), Bridgeport ($2,477/mo), Bryn Mawr ($2,476/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on an elementary school teacher salary.