Can A Pharmacist Afford Rent in Dubuque, IA?

Comfortably affordable — rent takes 10.7% of gross income.

Dubuque rent: July 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Iowa state estimate).

Dubuque median rent
$1,094/mo
Pharmacist salary (Iowa)
$122,130/yr
Rent as % of income
10.7%
Gross monthly income works out to about $10,178, and the 30% rule supports up to $3,053/mo in rent. Dubuque's median rent of $1,094 leaves roughly $1,959/mo of headroom under that threshold. A pharmacist works roughly 18.6 hours a month to cover that rent.

About rent and a pharmacist salary

Pharmacist pay covers comfortable rent in nearly every US city. At the national-average pharmacist salary, the 30% rule supports about $3,319 a month in rent — above median rent in all but a handful of high-cost coastal metros.

Cheaper rent nearby

These Iowa cities have lower median rent than Dubuque, which improves the affordability math on a pharmacist salary:

Cedar Rapids, IA
$1,092/mo (10.7% of income)
Sioux City, IA
$1,089/mo (10.7% of income)
Cedar Rapids, IA
$1,088/mo (10.7% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Dubuque

View full rent data for Dubuque, IA

Frequently asked questions

Can a pharmacist afford rent in Dubuque, IA?

Median rent in Dubuque is $1,094 a month. A typical pharmacist in Iowa earns about $122,130 a year, which makes that rent 10.7% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is yes.

How much rent can a pharmacist afford in Dubuque?

Using the 30% rule, a pharmacist salary in Iowa (~$122,130/yr) supports up to $3,053 a month in rent. Dubuque's current median rent is $1,094/mo, which leaves a $1,959/mo buffer.

How many hours does a pharmacist work to cover rent in Dubuque?

At an hourly equivalent of about $59 an hour, a pharmacist in Iowa works roughly 18.6 hours a month to cover Dubuque's median rent of $1,094.

Where is rent cheaper than Dubuque for a pharmacist?

Nearby Iowa cities with lower median rent include Cedar Rapids ($1,092/mo), Sioux City ($1,089/mo), Cedar Rapids ($1,088/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a pharmacist salary.

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