Can A Paramedic Afford Rent in Festus, MO?

Stretched but workable — rent takes 30% of gross income.

Festus rent: July 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Missouri state estimate).

Festus median rent
$1,225/mo
Paramedic salary (Missouri)
$48,926/yr
Rent as % of income
30%
Gross monthly income works out to about $4,077, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,223/mo in rent. Festus's median rent of $1,225 exceeds that threshold by $2/mo, putting a paramedic salary into the rent-burdened range here. A paramedic works roughly 52.1 hours a month to cover that rent.

About rent and a paramedic salary

Paramedic and EMT base pay sits modestly below the US median household income and is often supplemented by overtime. At the national-average paramedic salary, the 30% rule supports about $1,330 a month in rent.

Cheaper rent nearby

These Missouri cities have lower median rent than Festus, which improves the affordability math on a paramedic salary:

Jennings, MO
$1,224/mo (30% of income)
Saint Ann, MO
$1,223/mo (30% of income)
Springfield, MO
$1,222/mo (30% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Festus

View full rent data for Festus, MO

Frequently asked questions

Can a paramedic afford rent in Festus, MO?

Median rent in Festus is $1,225 a month. A typical paramedic in Missouri earns about $48,926 a year, which makes that rent 30% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is no — rent exceeds the 30% threshold.

How much rent can a paramedic afford in Festus?

Using the 30% rule, a paramedic salary in Missouri (~$48,926/yr) supports up to $1,223 a month in rent. Festus's current median rent is $1,225/mo, which is $2/mo over the affordability threshold.

How many hours does a paramedic work to cover rent in Festus?

At an hourly equivalent of about $24 an hour, a paramedic in Missouri works roughly 52.1 hours a month to cover Festus's median rent of $1,225.

Where is rent cheaper than Festus for a paramedic?

Nearby Missouri cities with lower median rent include Jennings ($1,224/mo), Saint Ann ($1,223/mo), Springfield ($1,222/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a paramedic salary.

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