Can A Lawyer Afford Rent in Wailuku, HI?

Comfortably affordable — rent takes 23.2% of gross income.

Wailuku rent: June 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Hawaii state estimate).

Wailuku median rent
$3,691/mo
Lawyer salary (Hawaii)
$190,588/yr
Rent as % of income
23.2%
Gross monthly income works out to about $15,882, and the 30% rule supports up to $4,765/mo in rent. Wailuku's median rent of $3,691 leaves roughly $1,074/mo of headroom under that threshold. A lawyer works roughly 40.3 hours a month to cover that rent.

About rent and a lawyer salary

Lawyer pay covers comfortable rent in every US city, but the surplus after rent varies sharply by metro. Big-law and federal-government lawyer pay clusters in a handful of cities where rent is also highest, which compresses the affordability margin. At the national-average lawyer salary, the 30% rule supports about $4,412 a month in rent — above the median rent in even the most expensive US metro.

Cheaper rent nearby

These Hawaii cities have lower median rent than Wailuku, which improves the affordability math on a lawyer salary:

Kailua Kona, HI
$3,652/mo (23% of income)
Kihei, HI
$3,642/mo (22.9% of income)
Kailua, HI
$3,626/mo (22.8% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Wailuku

View full rent data for Wailuku, HI

Frequently asked questions

Can a lawyer afford rent in Wailuku, HI?

Median rent in Wailuku is $3,691 a month. A typical lawyer in Hawaii earns about $190,588 a year, which makes that rent 23.2% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is yes.

How much rent can a lawyer afford in Wailuku?

Using the 30% rule, a lawyer salary in Hawaii (~$190,588/yr) supports up to $4,765 a month in rent. Wailuku's current median rent is $3,691/mo, which leaves a $1,074/mo buffer.

How many hours does a lawyer work to cover rent in Wailuku?

At an hourly equivalent of about $92 an hour, a lawyer in Hawaii works roughly 40.3 hours a month to cover Wailuku's median rent of $3,691.

Where is rent cheaper than Wailuku for a lawyer?

Nearby Hawaii cities with lower median rent include Kailua Kona ($3,652/mo), Kihei ($3,642/mo), Kailua ($3,626/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a lawyer salary.

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