Can A Registered Nurse Afford Rent in Knoxville, IA?

Comfortably affordable — rent takes 13% of gross income.

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

Knoxville median rent
$941/mo
Registered Nurse salary (Iowa)
$86,922/yr
Rent as % of income
13%
Gross monthly income works out to about $7,244, and the 30% rule supports up to $2,173/mo in rent. Knoxville's median rent of $941 leaves roughly $1,232/mo of headroom under that threshold. A registered nurse works roughly 22.5 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 Knoxville, which improves the affordability math on a registered nurse salary:

Marshalltown, IA
$934/mo (12.9% of income)
Davenport, IA
$932/mo (12.9% of income)
Marshalltown, IA
$932/mo (12.9% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Knoxville

View full rent data for Knoxville, IA

Frequently asked questions

Can a registered nurse afford rent in Knoxville, IA?

Median rent in Knoxville is $941 a month. A typical registered nurse in Iowa earns about $86,922 a year, which makes that rent 13% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is yes.

How much rent can a registered nurse afford in Knoxville?

Using the 30% rule, a registered nurse salary in Iowa (~$86,922/yr) supports up to $2,173 a month in rent. Knoxville's current median rent is $941/mo, which leaves a $1,232/mo buffer.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $42 an hour, a registered nurse in Iowa works roughly 22.5 hours a month to cover Knoxville's median rent of $941.

Where is rent cheaper than Knoxville for a registered nurse?

Nearby Iowa cities with lower median rent include Marshalltown ($934/mo), Davenport ($932/mo), Marshalltown ($932/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 Knoxville, IA. Affordability applies the 30% rule (rent ≤ 30% of gross income). Real take-home varies with taxes, household composition, overtime, tips, and benefits.