Can A Registered Nurse Afford Rent in Old Town, ME?

Comfortably affordable — rent takes 24.6% of gross income.

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

Old Town median rent
$1,801/mo
Registered Nurse salary (Maine)
$87,866/yr
Rent as % of income
24.6%
Gross monthly income works out to about $7,322, and the 30% rule supports up to $2,197/mo in rent. Old Town's median rent of $1,801 leaves roughly $396/mo of headroom under that threshold. A registered nurse works roughly 42.6 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 Old Town, which improves the affordability math on a registered nurse salary:

South Portland, ME
$1,799/mo (24.6% of income)
Portland, ME
$1,780/mo (24.3% of income)
Rockland, ME
$1,775/mo (24.2% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Old Town

View full rent data for Old Town, ME

Frequently asked questions

Can a registered nurse afford rent in Old Town, ME?

Median rent in Old Town is $1,801 a month. A typical registered nurse in Maine earns about $87,866 a year, which makes that rent 24.6% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is yes.

How much rent can a registered nurse afford in Old Town?

Using the 30% rule, a registered nurse salary in Maine (~$87,866/yr) supports up to $2,197 a month in rent. Old Town's current median rent is $1,801/mo, which leaves a $396/mo buffer.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $42 an hour, a registered nurse in Maine works roughly 42.6 hours a month to cover Old Town's median rent of $1,801.

Where is rent cheaper than Old Town for a registered nurse?

Nearby Maine cities with lower median rent include South Portland ($1,799/mo), Portland ($1,780/mo), Rockland ($1,775/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 Old Town, ME. Affordability applies the 30% rule (rent ≤ 30% of gross income). Real take-home varies with taxes, household composition, overtime, tips, and benefits.