Can A Real Estate Agent Afford Rent in Arlington, TN?

Rent-burdened — rent takes 49.3% of gross income.

Arlington rent: June 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Tennessee state estimate).

Arlington median rent
$2,480/mo
Real Estate Agent salary (Tennessee)
$60,334/yr
Rent as % of income
49.3%
Gross monthly income works out to about $5,028, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,508/mo in rent. Arlington's median rent of $2,480 exceeds that threshold by $972/mo, putting a real estate agent salary into the rent-burdened range here. A real estate agent works roughly 85.5 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 Tennessee cities have lower median rent than Arlington, which improves the affordability math on a real estate agent salary:

Germantown, TN
$2,415/mo (48% of income)
Germantown, TN
$2,300/mo (45.7% of income)
Germantown, TN
$2,290/mo (45.5% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Arlington

View full rent data for Arlington, TN

Frequently asked questions

Can a real estate agent afford rent in Arlington, TN?

Median rent in Arlington is $2,480 a month. A typical real estate agent in Tennessee earns about $60,334 a year, which makes that rent 49.3% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is no — rent exceeds the 30% threshold.

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

Using the 30% rule, a real estate agent salary in Tennessee (~$60,334/yr) supports up to $1,508 a month in rent. Arlington's current median rent is $2,480/mo, which is $972/mo over the affordability threshold.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $29 an hour, a real estate agent in Tennessee works roughly 85.5 hours a month to cover Arlington's median rent of $2,480.

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

Nearby Tennessee cities with lower median rent include Germantown ($2,415/mo), Germantown ($2,300/mo), Germantown ($2,290/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a real estate agent salary.

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