Can A Registered Nurse Afford Rent in Washington, DC?
Comfortably affordable — rent takes 25.7% of gross income.
Washington rent: June 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (District of Columbia 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.
Compare with full rent data for Washington
View full rent data for Washington, DC →Frequently asked questions
Can a registered nurse afford rent in Washington, DC?
Median rent in Washington is $2,532 a month. A typical registered nurse in District of Columbia earns about $118,100 a year, which makes that rent 25.7% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is yes.
How much rent can a registered nurse afford in Washington?
Using the 30% rule, a registered nurse salary in District of Columbia (~$118,100/yr) supports up to $2,953 a month in rent. Washington's current median rent is $2,532/mo, which leaves a $421/mo buffer.
How many hours does a registered nurse work to cover rent in Washington?
At an hourly equivalent of about $57 an hour, a registered nurse in District of Columbia works roughly 44.6 hours a month to cover Washington's median rent of $2,532.