Can A Registered Nurse Afford Rent in Grimes, IA?

Comfortably affordable — rent takes 19.8% of gross income.

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

Grimes median rent
$1,435/mo
Registered Nurse salary (Iowa)
$86,922/yr
Rent as % of income
19.8%
Gross monthly income works out to about $7,244, and the 30% rule supports up to $2,173/mo in rent. Grimes's median rent of $1,435 leaves roughly $738/mo of headroom under that threshold. A registered nurse works roughly 34.3 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 Grimes, which improves the affordability math on a registered nurse salary:

Johnston, IA
$1,432/mo (19.8% of income)
Johnston, IA
$1,430/mo (19.7% of income)
North Liberty, IA
$1,430/mo (19.7% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Grimes

View full rent data for Grimes, IA

Frequently asked questions

Can a registered nurse afford rent in Grimes, IA?

Median rent in Grimes is $1,435 a month. A typical registered nurse in Iowa earns about $86,922 a year, which makes that rent 19.8% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is yes.

How much rent can a registered nurse afford in Grimes?

Using the 30% rule, a registered nurse salary in Iowa (~$86,922/yr) supports up to $2,173 a month in rent. Grimes's current median rent is $1,435/mo, which leaves a $738/mo buffer.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $42 an hour, a registered nurse in Iowa works roughly 34.3 hours a month to cover Grimes's median rent of $1,435.

Where is rent cheaper than Grimes for a registered nurse?

Nearby Iowa cities with lower median rent include Johnston ($1,432/mo), Johnston ($1,430/mo), North Liberty ($1,430/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 Grimes, IA. Affordability applies the 30% rule (rent ≤ 30% of gross income). Real take-home varies with taxes, household composition, overtime, tips, and benefits.