Can An Elementary School Teacher Afford Rent in Graham, TX?

Comfortably affordable — rent takes 21.6% of gross income.

Graham rent: January 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Texas state estimate).

Graham median rent
$1,195/mo
Elementary School Teacher salary (Texas)
$66,409/yr
Rent as % of income
21.6%
Gross monthly income works out to about $5,534, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,660/mo in rent. Graham's median rent of $1,195 leaves roughly $465/mo of headroom under that threshold. An elementary school teacher works roughly 37.4 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 Texas cities have lower median rent than Graham, which improves the affordability math on an elementary school teacher salary:

Copperas Cove, TX
$1,194/mo (21.6% of income)
Athens, TX
$1,194/mo (21.6% of income)
Victoria, TX
$1,193/mo (21.6% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Graham

View full rent data for Graham, TX

Frequently asked questions

Can an elementary school teacher afford rent in Graham, TX?

Median rent in Graham is $1,195 a month. A typical elementary school teacher in Texas earns about $66,409 a year, which makes that rent 21.6% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is yes.

How much rent can an elementary school teacher afford in Graham?

Using the 30% rule, an elementary school teacher salary in Texas (~$66,409/yr) supports up to $1,660 a month in rent. Graham's current median rent is $1,195/mo, which leaves a $465/mo buffer.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $32 an hour, an elementary school teacher in Texas works roughly 37.4 hours a month to cover Graham's median rent of $1,195.

Where is rent cheaper than Graham for an elementary school teacher?

Nearby Texas cities with lower median rent include Copperas Cove ($1,194/mo), Athens ($1,194/mo), Victoria ($1,193/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on an elementary school teacher salary.

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