Can A Registered Nurse Afford Rent in Lawrence, KS?
Comfortably affordable — rent takes 18.2% of gross income.
Lawrence rent: June 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Kansas 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 Kansas cities have lower median rent than Lawrence, which improves the affordability math on a registered nurse salary:
Compare with full rent data for Lawrence
View full rent data for Lawrence, KS →Frequently asked questions
Can a registered nurse afford rent in Lawrence, KS?
Median rent in Lawrence is $1,288 a month. A typical registered nurse in Kansas earns about $85,032 a year, which makes that rent 18.2% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is yes.
How much rent can a registered nurse afford in Lawrence?
Using the 30% rule, a registered nurse salary in Kansas (~$85,032/yr) supports up to $2,126 a month in rent. Lawrence's current median rent is $1,288/mo, which leaves a $838/mo buffer.
How many hours does a registered nurse work to cover rent in Lawrence?
At an hourly equivalent of about $41 an hour, a registered nurse in Kansas works roughly 31.5 hours a month to cover Lawrence's median rent of $1,288.
Where is rent cheaper than Lawrence for a registered nurse?
Nearby Kansas cities with lower median rent include Topeka ($1,283/mo), Kansas City ($1,274/mo), Leavenworth ($1,273/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a registered nurse salary.