Can A Registered Nurse Afford Rent in Bellingham, MA?

Comfortably affordable — rent takes 28.2% of gross income.

Bellingham rent: July 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Massachusetts state estimate).

Bellingham median rent
$2,571/mo
Registered Nurse salary (Massachusetts)
$109,597/yr
Rent as % of income
28.2%
Gross monthly income works out to about $9,133, and the 30% rule supports up to $2,740/mo in rent. Bellingham's median rent of $2,571 leaves roughly $169/mo of headroom under that threshold. A registered nurse works roughly 48.8 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 Massachusetts cities have lower median rent than Bellingham, which improves the affordability math on a registered nurse salary:

Amherst, MA
$2,570/mo (28.1% of income)
Acton, MA
$2,568/mo (28.1% of income)
Tewksbury, MA
$2,563/mo (28.1% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Bellingham

View full rent data for Bellingham, MA

Frequently asked questions

Can a registered nurse afford rent in Bellingham, MA?

Median rent in Bellingham is $2,571 a month. A typical registered nurse in Massachusetts earns about $109,597 a year, which makes that rent 28.2% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is yes.

How much rent can a registered nurse afford in Bellingham?

Using the 30% rule, a registered nurse salary in Massachusetts (~$109,597/yr) supports up to $2,740 a month in rent. Bellingham's current median rent is $2,571/mo, which leaves a $169/mo buffer.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $53 an hour, a registered nurse in Massachusetts works roughly 48.8 hours a month to cover Bellingham's median rent of $2,571.

Where is rent cheaper than Bellingham for a registered nurse?

Nearby Massachusetts cities with lower median rent include Amherst ($2,570/mo), Acton ($2,568/mo), Tewksbury ($2,563/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a registered nurse salary.

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