Can A Real Estate Agent Afford Rent in Cedar Falls, IA?

Comfortably affordable — rent takes 25.1% of gross income.

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

Cedar Falls median rent
$1,264/mo
Real Estate Agent salary (Iowa)
$60,334/yr
Rent as % of income
25.1%
Gross monthly income works out to about $5,028, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,508/mo in rent. Cedar Falls's median rent of $1,264 leaves roughly $244/mo of headroom under that threshold. A real estate agent works roughly 43.6 hours a month to cover that rent.

About rent and a real estate agent salary

Real estate agent pay is commission-driven and varies widely with local market conditions. The BLS mean averages high and low producers. At the national-average agent salary, the 30% rule supports about $1,640 a month in rent — though successful agents in active markets earn well above this.

Cheaper rent nearby

These Iowa cities have lower median rent than Cedar Falls, which improves the affordability math on a real estate agent salary:

Coralville, IA
$1,263/mo (25.1% of income)
Pleasant Hill, IA
$1,262/mo (25.1% of income)
Cedar Rapids, IA
$1,258/mo (25% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Cedar Falls

View full rent data for Cedar Falls, IA

Frequently asked questions

Can a real estate agent afford rent in Cedar Falls, IA?

Median rent in Cedar Falls is $1,264 a month. A typical real estate agent in Iowa earns about $60,334 a year, which makes that rent 25.1% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is yes.

How much rent can a real estate agent afford in Cedar Falls?

Using the 30% rule, a real estate agent salary in Iowa (~$60,334/yr) supports up to $1,508 a month in rent. Cedar Falls's current median rent is $1,264/mo, which leaves a $244/mo buffer.

How many hours does a real estate agent work to cover rent in Cedar Falls?

At an hourly equivalent of about $29 an hour, a real estate agent in Iowa works roughly 43.6 hours a month to cover Cedar Falls's median rent of $1,264.

Where is rent cheaper than Cedar Falls for a real estate agent?

Nearby Iowa cities with lower median rent include Coralville ($1,263/mo), Pleasant Hill ($1,262/mo), Cedar Rapids ($1,258/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a real estate agent salary.

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