Rent Affordability for Licensed Practical Nurses in the US
As of May 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024. Rent: ZORI monthly.
National avg salary
$60,790/yr
Gross monthly
$5,066
Affordable rent (30% rule)
$1,520/mo
LPN pay sits modestly above the US median household income and covers comfortable rent in most lower- and mid-cost metros. At the national-average LPN salary, the 30% rule supports about $1,520 a month in rent. The per-city pages show which markets stay in range.
Where rent is most affordable: states with the highest licensed practical nurse pay
| State | Avg salary | Affordable rent | |
|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $75,988/yr | $1,900/mo | View cities › |
| California | $71,732/yr | $1,793/mo | View cities › |
| Massachusetts | $70,516/yr | $1,763/mo | View cities › |
| New York | $69,301/yr | $1,733/mo | View cities › |
| Alaska | $68,085/yr | $1,702/mo | View cities › |
| New Jersey | $68,085/yr | $1,702/mo | View cities › |
| Washington | $68,085/yr | $1,702/mo | View cities › |
| Connecticut | $66,869/yr | $1,672/mo | View cities › |
| Hawaii | $65,653/yr | $1,641/mo | View cities › |
| Maryland | $65,653/yr | $1,641/mo | View cities › |
Where rent stretches the salary furthest: states with the lowest licensed practical nurse pay
| State | Avg salary | Affordable rent | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mississippi | $49,240/yr | $1,231/mo | View cities › |
| Arkansas | $50,456/yr | $1,261/mo | View cities › |
| West Virginia | $51,672/yr | $1,292/mo | View cities › |
| Alabama | $52,279/yr | $1,307/mo | View cities › |
| Louisiana | $52,887/yr | $1,322/mo | View cities › |
| South Dakota | $53,495/yr | $1,337/mo | View cities › |
| South Carolina | $53,495/yr | $1,337/mo | View cities › |
| Oklahoma | $53,495/yr | $1,337/mo | View cities › |
| Montana | $53,495/yr | $1,337/mo | View cities › |
| Kentucky | $53,495/yr | $1,337/mo | View cities › |
All states
District of ColumbiaCaliforniaMassachusettsNew YorkAlaskaNew JerseyWashingtonConnecticutHawaiiMarylandColoradoMinnesotaOregonRhode IslandNew HampshireDelawareIllinoisVirginiaPennsylvaniaTexasArizonaNevadaNorth DakotaVermontMichiganUtahGeorgiaWisconsinNorth CarolinaOhioWyomingFloridaMaineNebraskaIndianaIowaMissouriTennesseeKansasNew MexicoIdahoKentuckyMontanaOklahomaSouth CarolinaSouth DakotaLouisianaAlabamaWest VirginiaArkansasMississippi
Frequently asked questions
Can an LPN afford rent in major US cities?
In most lower- and mid-cost US metros, yes. In high-cost coastal cities, LPN pay alone is typically rent-burdened without roommates or a second household earner.
What rent can an LPN afford?
At the BLS national mean of $60,790, the 30% rule supports about $1,520 a month in rent.