Can A Registered Nurse Afford Rent in Lake Station, IN?

Comfortably affordable — rent takes 20% of gross income.

Lake Station rent: June 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Indiana state estimate).

Lake Station median rent
$1,450/mo
Registered Nurse salary (Indiana)
$86,922/yr
Rent as % of income
20%
Gross monthly income works out to about $7,244, and the 30% rule supports up to $2,173/mo in rent. Lake Station's median rent of $1,450 leaves roughly $723/mo of headroom under that threshold. A registered nurse works roughly 34.7 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 Indiana cities have lower median rent than Lake Station, which improves the affordability math on a registered nurse salary:

Bloomington, IN
$1,449/mo (20% of income)
Schererville, IN
$1,449/mo (20% of income)
Bloomington, IN
$1,448/mo (20% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Lake Station

View full rent data for Lake Station, IN

Frequently asked questions

Can a registered nurse afford rent in Lake Station, IN?

Median rent in Lake Station is $1,450 a month. A typical registered nurse in Indiana earns about $86,922 a year, which makes that rent 20% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is yes.

How much rent can a registered nurse afford in Lake Station?

Using the 30% rule, a registered nurse salary in Indiana (~$86,922/yr) supports up to $2,173 a month in rent. Lake Station's current median rent is $1,450/mo, which leaves a $723/mo buffer.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $42 an hour, a registered nurse in Indiana works roughly 34.7 hours a month to cover Lake Station's median rent of $1,450.

Where is rent cheaper than Lake Station for a registered nurse?

Nearby Indiana cities with lower median rent include Bloomington ($1,449/mo), Schererville ($1,449/mo), Bloomington ($1,448/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a registered nurse salary.

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