Can A Registered Nurse Afford Rent in Dundalk, MD?

Comfortably affordable — rent takes 19% of gross income.

Dundalk rent: June 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Maryland state estimate).

Dundalk median rent
$1,614/mo
Registered Nurse salary (Maryland)
$102,038/yr
Rent as % of income
19%
Gross monthly income works out to about $8,503, and the 30% rule supports up to $2,551/mo in rent. Dundalk's median rent of $1,614 leaves roughly $937/mo of headroom under that threshold. A registered nurse works roughly 32.9 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 Maryland cities have lower median rent than Dundalk, which improves the affordability math on a registered nurse salary:

Parkville, MD
$1,613/mo (19% of income)
Fort Washington, MD
$1,612/mo (19% of income)
Laurel, MD
$1,610/mo (18.9% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Dundalk

View full rent data for Dundalk, MD

Frequently asked questions

Can a registered nurse afford rent in Dundalk, MD?

Median rent in Dundalk is $1,614 a month. A typical registered nurse in Maryland earns about $102,038 a year, which makes that rent 19% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is yes.

How much rent can a registered nurse afford in Dundalk?

Using the 30% rule, a registered nurse salary in Maryland (~$102,038/yr) supports up to $2,551 a month in rent. Dundalk's current median rent is $1,614/mo, which leaves a $937/mo buffer.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $49 an hour, a registered nurse in Maryland works roughly 32.9 hours a month to cover Dundalk's median rent of $1,614.

Where is rent cheaper than Dundalk for a registered nurse?

Nearby Maryland cities with lower median rent include Parkville ($1,613/mo), Fort Washington ($1,612/mo), Laurel ($1,610/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a registered nurse salary.

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