Can A Registered Nurse Afford Rent in Adel, IA?

Comfortably affordable — rent takes 14.2% of gross income.

Adel rent: May 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Iowa state estimate).

Adel median rent
$1,031/mo
Registered Nurse salary (Iowa)
$86,922/yr
Rent as % of income
14.2%
Gross monthly income works out to about $7,244, and the 30% rule supports up to $2,173/mo in rent. Adel's median rent of $1,031 leaves roughly $1,142/mo of headroom under that threshold. A registered nurse works roughly 24.7 hours a month to cover that rent.

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 Iowa cities have lower median rent than Adel, which improves the affordability math on a registered nurse salary:

Marion, IA
$1,029/mo (14.2% of income)
Boone, IA
$1,027/mo (14.2% of income)
Pella, IA
$1,026/mo (14.2% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Adel

View full rent data for Adel, IA

Frequently asked questions

Can a registered nurse afford rent in Adel, IA?

Median rent in Adel is $1,031 a month. A typical registered nurse in Iowa earns about $86,922 a year, which makes that rent 14.2% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is yes.

How much rent can a registered nurse afford in Adel?

Using the 30% rule, a registered nurse salary in Iowa (~$86,922/yr) supports up to $2,173 a month in rent. Adel's current median rent is $1,031/mo, which leaves a $1,142/mo buffer.

How many hours does a registered nurse work to cover rent in Adel?

At an hourly equivalent of about $42 an hour, a registered nurse in Iowa works roughly 24.7 hours a month to cover Adel's median rent of $1,031.

Where is rent cheaper than Adel for a registered nurse?

Nearby Iowa cities with lower median rent include Marion ($1,029/mo), Boone ($1,027/mo), Pella ($1,026/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a registered nurse salary.

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