Can A Pharmacist Afford Rent in Urbandale, IA?

Comfortably affordable — rent takes 11.8% of gross income.

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

Urbandale median rent
$1,197/mo
Pharmacist salary (Iowa)
$122,130/yr
Rent as % of income
11.8%
Gross monthly income works out to about $10,178, and the 30% rule supports up to $3,053/mo in rent. Urbandale's median rent of $1,197 leaves roughly $1,856/mo of headroom under that threshold. A pharmacist works roughly 20.4 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 Urbandale, which improves the affordability math on a pharmacist salary:

Pleasant Hill, IA
$1,196/mo (11.8% of income)
Council Bluffs, IA
$1,195/mo (11.7% of income)
Coralville, IA
$1,191/mo (11.7% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Urbandale

View full rent data for Urbandale, IA

Frequently asked questions

Can a pharmacist afford rent in Urbandale, IA?

Median rent in Urbandale is $1,197 a month. A typical pharmacist in Iowa earns about $122,130 a year, which makes that rent 11.8% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is yes.

How much rent can a pharmacist afford in Urbandale?

Using the 30% rule, a pharmacist salary in Iowa (~$122,130/yr) supports up to $3,053 a month in rent. Urbandale's current median rent is $1,197/mo, which leaves a $1,856/mo buffer.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $59 an hour, a pharmacist in Iowa works roughly 20.4 hours a month to cover Urbandale's median rent of $1,197.

Where is rent cheaper than Urbandale for a pharmacist?

Nearby Iowa cities with lower median rent include Pleasant Hill ($1,196/mo), Council Bluffs ($1,195/mo), Coralville ($1,191/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 Urbandale, IA. Affordability applies the 30% rule (rent ≤ 30% of gross income). Real take-home varies with taxes, household composition, overtime, tips, and benefits.