Can A Pharmacist Afford Rent in Raleigh, NC?

Comfortably affordable — rent takes 15.1% of gross income.

Raleigh rent: July 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (North Carolina state estimate).

Raleigh median rent
$1,575/mo
Pharmacist salary (North Carolina)
$124,785/yr
Rent as % of income
15.1%
Gross monthly income works out to about $10,399, and the 30% rule supports up to $3,120/mo in rent. Raleigh's median rent of $1,575 leaves roughly $1,545/mo of headroom under that threshold. A pharmacist works roughly 26.3 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 North Carolina cities have lower median rent than Raleigh, which improves the affordability math on a pharmacist salary:

Hope Mills, NC
$1,574/mo (15.1% of income)
Morrisville, NC
$1,573/mo (15.1% of income)
Morrisville, NC
$1,573/mo (15.1% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Raleigh

View full rent data for Raleigh, NC

Frequently asked questions

Can a pharmacist afford rent in Raleigh, NC?

Median rent in Raleigh is $1,575 a month. A typical pharmacist in North Carolina earns about $124,785 a year, which makes that rent 15.1% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is yes.

How much rent can a pharmacist afford in Raleigh?

Using the 30% rule, a pharmacist salary in North Carolina (~$124,785/yr) supports up to $3,120 a month in rent. Raleigh's current median rent is $1,575/mo, which leaves a $1,545/mo buffer.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $60 an hour, a pharmacist in North Carolina works roughly 26.3 hours a month to cover Raleigh's median rent of $1,575.

Where is rent cheaper than Raleigh for a pharmacist?

Nearby North Carolina cities with lower median rent include Hope Mills ($1,574/mo), Morrisville ($1,573/mo), Morrisville ($1,573/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a pharmacist salary.

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