Can A Registered Nurse Afford Rent in Sycamore, IL?

Comfortably affordable — rent takes 19.2% of gross income.

Sycamore rent: June 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Illinois state estimate).

Sycamore median rent
$1,543/mo
Registered Nurse salary (Illinois)
$96,370/yr
Rent as % of income
19.2%
Gross monthly income works out to about $8,031, and the 30% rule supports up to $2,409/mo in rent. Sycamore's median rent of $1,543 leaves roughly $866/mo of headroom under that threshold. A registered nurse works roughly 33.3 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 Illinois cities have lower median rent than Sycamore, which improves the affordability math on a registered nurse salary:

Waukegan, IL
$1,542/mo (19.2% of income)
Woodridge, IL
$1,539/mo (19.2% of income)
Joliet, IL
$1,537/mo (19.1% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Sycamore

View full rent data for Sycamore, IL

Frequently asked questions

Can a registered nurse afford rent in Sycamore, IL?

Median rent in Sycamore is $1,543 a month. A typical registered nurse in Illinois earns about $96,370 a year, which makes that rent 19.2% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is yes.

How much rent can a registered nurse afford in Sycamore?

Using the 30% rule, a registered nurse salary in Illinois (~$96,370/yr) supports up to $2,409 a month in rent. Sycamore's current median rent is $1,543/mo, which leaves a $866/mo buffer.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $46 an hour, a registered nurse in Illinois works roughly 33.3 hours a month to cover Sycamore's median rent of $1,543.

Where is rent cheaper than Sycamore for a registered nurse?

Nearby Illinois cities with lower median rent include Waukegan ($1,542/mo), Woodridge ($1,539/mo), Joliet ($1,537/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a registered nurse salary.

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