Can A Registered Nurse Afford Rent in Columbus, IN?
Comfortably affordable — rent takes 19.1% of gross income.
Columbus rent: September 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Indiana 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 Indiana cities have lower median rent than Columbus, which improves the affordability math on a registered nurse salary:
Compare with full rent data for Columbus
View full rent data for Columbus, IN →Frequently asked questions
Can a registered nurse afford rent in Columbus, IN?
Median rent in Columbus is $1,385 a month. A typical registered nurse in Indiana earns about $86,922 a year, which makes that rent 19.1% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is yes.
How much rent can a registered nurse afford in Columbus?
Using the 30% rule, a registered nurse salary in Indiana (~$86,922/yr) supports up to $2,173 a month in rent. Columbus's current median rent is $1,385/mo, which leaves a $788/mo buffer.
How many hours does a registered nurse work to cover rent in Columbus?
At an hourly equivalent of about $42 an hour, a registered nurse in Indiana works roughly 33.1 hours a month to cover Columbus's median rent of $1,385.
Where is rent cheaper than Columbus for a registered nurse?
Nearby Indiana cities with lower median rent include Valparaiso ($1,383/mo), Valparaiso ($1,382/mo), Portage ($1,381/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a registered nurse salary.