Can A Registered Nurse Afford Rent in Salina, KS?

Comfortably affordable — rent takes 14.5% of gross income.

Salina rent: June 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Kansas state estimate).

Salina median rent
$1,026/mo
Registered Nurse salary (Kansas)
$85,032/yr
Rent as % of income
14.5%
Gross monthly income works out to about $7,086, and the 30% rule supports up to $2,126/mo in rent. Salina's median rent of $1,026 leaves roughly $1,100/mo of headroom under that threshold. A registered nurse works roughly 25.1 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 Kansas cities have lower median rent than Salina, which improves the affordability math on a registered nurse salary:

Lawrence, KS
$981/mo (13.8% of income)
Kansas City, KS
$980/mo (13.8% of income)
Pittsburg, KS
$962/mo (13.6% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Salina

View full rent data for Salina, KS

Frequently asked questions

Can a registered nurse afford rent in Salina, KS?

Median rent in Salina is $1,026 a month. A typical registered nurse in Kansas earns about $85,032 a year, which makes that rent 14.5% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is yes.

How much rent can a registered nurse afford in Salina?

Using the 30% rule, a registered nurse salary in Kansas (~$85,032/yr) supports up to $2,126 a month in rent. Salina's current median rent is $1,026/mo, which leaves a $1,100/mo buffer.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $41 an hour, a registered nurse in Kansas works roughly 25.1 hours a month to cover Salina's median rent of $1,026.

Where is rent cheaper than Salina for a registered nurse?

Nearby Kansas cities with lower median rent include Lawrence ($981/mo), Kansas City ($980/mo), Pittsburg ($962/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a registered nurse salary.

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