Can A Registered Nurse Afford Rent in Auburn, ME?
Comfortably affordable — rent takes 21.6% of gross income.
Auburn rent: July 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Maine 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 Maine cities have lower median rent than Auburn, which improves the affordability math on a registered nurse salary:
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 $1,581 a month. A typical registered nurse in Maine earns about $87,866 a year, which makes that rent 21.6% 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 $1,581/mo, which leaves a $616/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 37.4 hours a month to cover Auburn's median rent of $1,581.
Where is rent cheaper than Auburn for a registered nurse?
Nearby Maine cities with lower median rent include Bangor ($1,580/mo), Old Town ($1,573/mo), Augusta ($1,556/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a registered nurse salary.