Can A Firefighter Afford Rent in Brownsville, TN?

Comfortably affordable — rent takes 19.4% of gross income.

Brownsville rent: June 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Tennessee state estimate).

Brownsville median rent
$932/mo
Firefighter salary (Tennessee)
$57,785/yr
Rent as % of income
19.4%
Gross monthly income works out to about $4,815, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,445/mo in rent. Brownsville's median rent of $932 leaves roughly $513/mo of headroom under that threshold. A firefighter works roughly 33.5 hours a month to cover that rent.

About rent and a firefighter salary

Firefighter base pay plus typical overtime sits modestly above the US median household income, but local rent levels determine whether that translates into affordability or rent burden. At the national-average firefighter base salary, the 30% rule supports about $1,570 a month in rent. The per-city pages compare local rent against local firefighter-pay estimates so renters can see where rent stays in range.

Cheaper rent nearby

These Tennessee cities have lower median rent than Brownsville, which improves the affordability math on a firefighter salary:

Martin, TN
$930/mo (19.3% of income)
Johnson City, TN
$928/mo (19.3% of income)
Greeneville, TN
$925/mo (19.2% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Brownsville

View full rent data for Brownsville, TN

Frequently asked questions

Can a firefighter afford rent in Brownsville, TN?

Median rent in Brownsville is $932 a month. A typical firefighter in Tennessee earns about $57,785 a year, which makes that rent 19.4% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is yes.

How much rent can a firefighter afford in Brownsville?

Using the 30% rule, a firefighter salary in Tennessee (~$57,785/yr) supports up to $1,445 a month in rent. Brownsville's current median rent is $932/mo, which leaves a $513/mo buffer.

How many hours does a firefighter work to cover rent in Brownsville?

At an hourly equivalent of about $28 an hour, a firefighter in Tennessee works roughly 33.5 hours a month to cover Brownsville's median rent of $932.

Where is rent cheaper than Brownsville for a firefighter?

Nearby Tennessee cities with lower median rent include Martin ($930/mo), Johnson City ($928/mo), Greeneville ($925/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a firefighter salary.

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