Can A Lawyer Afford Rent in Beaver Dam, WI?

Comfortably affordable — rent takes 9% of gross income.

Beaver Dam rent: June 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Wisconsin state estimate).

Beaver Dam median rent
$1,252/mo
Lawyer salary (Wisconsin)
$167,647/yr
Rent as % of income
9%
Gross monthly income works out to about $13,971, and the 30% rule supports up to $4,191/mo in rent. Beaver Dam's median rent of $1,252 leaves roughly $2,939/mo of headroom under that threshold. A lawyer works roughly 15.5 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 Wisconsin cities have lower median rent than Beaver Dam, which improves the affordability math on a lawyer salary:

Kenosha, WI
$1,251/mo (9% of income)
Menomonie, WI
$1,251/mo (9% of income)
Janesville, WI
$1,251/mo (9% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Beaver Dam

View full rent data for Beaver Dam, WI

Frequently asked questions

Can a lawyer afford rent in Beaver Dam, WI?

Median rent in Beaver Dam is $1,252 a month. A typical lawyer in Wisconsin earns about $167,647 a year, which makes that rent 9% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is yes.

How much rent can a lawyer afford in Beaver Dam?

Using the 30% rule, a lawyer salary in Wisconsin (~$167,647/yr) supports up to $4,191 a month in rent. Beaver Dam's current median rent is $1,252/mo, which leaves a $2,939/mo buffer.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $81 an hour, a lawyer in Wisconsin works roughly 15.5 hours a month to cover Beaver Dam's median rent of $1,252.

Where is rent cheaper than Beaver Dam for a lawyer?

Nearby Wisconsin cities with lower median rent include Kenosha ($1,251/mo), Menomonie ($1,251/mo), Janesville ($1,251/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a lawyer salary.

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