Can A Registered Nurse Afford Rent in Auburn, ME?

Comfortably affordable — rent takes 20.5% of gross income.

Auburn rent: June 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Maine state estimate).

Auburn median rent
$1,503/mo
Registered Nurse salary (Maine)
$87,866/yr
Rent as % of income
20.5%
Gross monthly income works out to about $7,322, and the 30% rule supports up to $2,197/mo in rent. Auburn's median rent of $1,503 leaves roughly $694/mo of headroom under that threshold. A registered nurse works roughly 35.6 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 Maine cities have lower median rent than Auburn, which improves the affordability math on a registered nurse salary:

Lewiston, ME
$1,480/mo (20.2% of income)
Lewiston, ME
$1,479/mo (20.2% of income)
Bangor, ME
$1,477/mo (20.2% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Auburn

View full rent data for Auburn, ME

Frequently asked questions

Can a registered nurse afford rent in Auburn, ME?

Median rent in Auburn is $1,503 a month. A typical registered nurse in Maine earns about $87,866 a year, which makes that rent 20.5% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is yes.

How much rent can a registered nurse afford in Auburn?

Using the 30% rule, a registered nurse salary in Maine (~$87,866/yr) supports up to $2,197 a month in rent. Auburn's current median rent is $1,503/mo, which leaves a $694/mo buffer.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $42 an hour, a registered nurse in Maine works roughly 35.6 hours a month to cover Auburn's median rent of $1,503.

Where is rent cheaper than Auburn for a registered nurse?

Nearby Maine cities with lower median rent include Lewiston ($1,480/mo), Lewiston ($1,479/mo), Bangor ($1,477/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a registered nurse salary.

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