Can A Real Estate Agent Afford Rent in Johnson City, TN?

Comfortably affordable — rent takes 29.2% of gross income.

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

Johnson City median rent
$1,467/mo
Real Estate Agent salary (Tennessee)
$60,334/yr
Rent as % of income
29.2%
Gross monthly income works out to about $5,028, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,508/mo in rent. Johnson City's median rent of $1,467 leaves roughly $41/mo of headroom under that threshold. A real estate agent works roughly 50.6 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 Tennessee cities have lower median rent than Johnson City, which improves the affordability math on a real estate agent salary:

Seymour, TN
$1,465/mo (29.1% of income)
Soddy-Daisy, TN
$1,463/mo (29.1% of income)
Tullahoma, TN
$1,462/mo (29.1% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Johnson City

View full rent data for Johnson City, TN

Frequently asked questions

Can a real estate agent afford rent in Johnson City, TN?

Median rent in Johnson City is $1,467 a month. A typical real estate agent in Tennessee earns about $60,334 a year, which makes that rent 29.2% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is yes.

How much rent can a real estate agent afford in Johnson City?

Using the 30% rule, a real estate agent salary in Tennessee (~$60,334/yr) supports up to $1,508 a month in rent. Johnson City's current median rent is $1,467/mo, which leaves a $41/mo buffer.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $29 an hour, a real estate agent in Tennessee works roughly 50.6 hours a month to cover Johnson City's median rent of $1,467.

Where is rent cheaper than Johnson City for a real estate agent?

Nearby Tennessee cities with lower median rent include Seymour ($1,465/mo), Soddy-Daisy ($1,463/mo), Tullahoma ($1,462/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 Johnson City, TN. Affordability applies the 30% rule (rent ≤ 30% of gross income). Real take-home varies with taxes, household composition, overtime, tips, and benefits.