Can A Real Estate Agent Afford Rent in Athens, OH?

Comfortably affordable — rent takes 20.8% of gross income.

Athens rent: June 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Ohio state estimate).

Athens median rent
$1,069/mo
Real Estate Agent salary (Ohio)
$61,645/yr
Rent as % of income
20.8%
Gross monthly income works out to about $5,137, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,541/mo in rent. Athens's median rent of $1,069 leaves roughly $472/mo of headroom under that threshold. A real estate agent works roughly 36.1 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 Ohio cities have lower median rent than Athens, which improves the affordability math on a real estate agent salary:

Lorain, OH
$1,068/mo (20.8% of income)
Lima, OH
$1,066/mo (20.8% of income)
Reading, OH
$1,064/mo (20.7% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Athens

View full rent data for Athens, OH

Frequently asked questions

Can a real estate agent afford rent in Athens, OH?

Median rent in Athens is $1,069 a month. A typical real estate agent in Ohio earns about $61,645 a year, which makes that rent 20.8% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is yes.

How much rent can a real estate agent afford in Athens?

Using the 30% rule, a real estate agent salary in Ohio (~$61,645/yr) supports up to $1,541 a month in rent. Athens's current median rent is $1,069/mo, which leaves a $472/mo buffer.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $30 an hour, a real estate agent in Ohio works roughly 36.1 hours a month to cover Athens's median rent of $1,069.

Where is rent cheaper than Athens for a real estate agent?

Nearby Ohio cities with lower median rent include Lorain ($1,068/mo), Lima ($1,066/mo), Reading ($1,064/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a real estate agent salary.

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