Can A Registered Nurse Afford Rent in Des Moines, IA?
Comfortably affordable — rent takes 15.5% of gross income.
Des Moines rent: June 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Iowa 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 Iowa cities have lower median rent than Des Moines, which improves the affordability math on a registered nurse salary:
Compare with full rent data for Des Moines
View full rent data for Des Moines, IA →Frequently asked questions
Can a registered nurse afford rent in Des Moines, IA?
Median rent in Des Moines is $1,121 a month. A typical registered nurse in Iowa earns about $86,922 a year, which makes that rent 15.5% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is yes.
How much rent can a registered nurse afford in Des Moines?
Using the 30% rule, a registered nurse salary in Iowa (~$86,922/yr) supports up to $2,173 a month in rent. Des Moines's current median rent is $1,121/mo, which leaves a $1,052/mo buffer.
How many hours does a registered nurse work to cover rent in Des Moines?
At an hourly equivalent of about $42 an hour, a registered nurse in Iowa works roughly 26.8 hours a month to cover Des Moines's median rent of $1,121.
Where is rent cheaper than Des Moines for a registered nurse?
Nearby Iowa cities with lower median rent include Cedar Rapids ($1,119/mo), Sioux City ($1,117/mo), Marion ($1,116/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a registered nurse salary.