Can A Lawyer Afford Rent in Pleasant Hill, IA?

Comfortably affordable — rent takes 9.9% of gross income.

Pleasant Hill rent: June 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Iowa state estimate).

Pleasant Hill median rent
$1,346/mo
Lawyer salary (Iowa)
$162,352/yr
Rent as % of income
9.9%
Gross monthly income works out to about $13,529, and the 30% rule supports up to $4,059/mo in rent. Pleasant Hill's median rent of $1,346 leaves roughly $2,713/mo of headroom under that threshold. A lawyer works roughly 17.2 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 Iowa cities have lower median rent than Pleasant Hill, which improves the affordability math on a lawyer salary:

North Liberty, IA
$1,345/mo (9.9% of income)
Cedar Falls, IA
$1,345/mo (9.9% of income)
Cedar Falls, IA
$1,344/mo (9.9% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Pleasant Hill

View full rent data for Pleasant Hill, IA

Frequently asked questions

Can a lawyer afford rent in Pleasant Hill, IA?

Median rent in Pleasant Hill is $1,346 a month. A typical lawyer in Iowa earns about $162,352 a year, which makes that rent 9.9% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is yes.

How much rent can a lawyer afford in Pleasant Hill?

Using the 30% rule, a lawyer salary in Iowa (~$162,352/yr) supports up to $4,059 a month in rent. Pleasant Hill's current median rent is $1,346/mo, which leaves a $2,713/mo buffer.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $78 an hour, a lawyer in Iowa works roughly 17.2 hours a month to cover Pleasant Hill's median rent of $1,346.

Where is rent cheaper than Pleasant Hill for a lawyer?

Nearby Iowa cities with lower median rent include North Liberty ($1,345/mo), Cedar Falls ($1,345/mo), Cedar Falls ($1,344/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a lawyer salary.

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