Can A Registered Nurse Afford Rent in Tempe, AZ?
Comfortably affordable — rent takes 21.8% of gross income.
Tempe rent: June 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Arizona state estimate).
About rent and a registered nurse salary
Rent is the single largest fixed cost most renters carry, and the rent-to-income ratio is the simplest measure of whether a city is livable on a given salary. For renters earning a typical registered-nurse income, the 30% rule supports about $2,360 a month in rent. That margin covers comfortable one-bedroom rent in the vast majority of US metros but tightens significantly in the highest-rent coastal cities, where rent can claim 40% or more of an RN paycheck. The per-city pages below show the local rent, the local nurse-pay estimate, and where that combination sits on the affordability scale.
Cheaper rent nearby
These Arizona cities have lower median rent than Tempe, which improves the affordability math on a registered nurse salary:
Compare with full rent data for Tempe
View full rent data for Tempe, AZ →Frequently asked questions
Can a registered nurse afford rent in Tempe, AZ?
Median rent in Tempe is $1,667 a month. A typical registered nurse in Arizona earns about $91,646 a year, which makes that rent 21.8% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is yes.
How much rent can a registered nurse afford in Tempe?
Using the 30% rule, a registered nurse salary in Arizona (~$91,646/yr) supports up to $2,291 a month in rent. Tempe's current median rent is $1,667/mo, which leaves a $624/mo buffer.
How many hours does a registered nurse work to cover rent in Tempe?
At an hourly equivalent of about $44 an hour, a registered nurse in Arizona works roughly 37.8 hours a month to cover Tempe's median rent of $1,667.
Where is rent cheaper than Tempe for a registered nurse?
Nearby Arizona cities with lower median rent include Surprise ($1,656/mo), Buckeye ($1,654/mo), Casa Grande ($1,654/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a registered nurse salary.