Can A Registered Nurse Afford Rent in Omaha, NE?

Comfortably affordable — rent takes 19.8% of gross income.

Omaha rent: June 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Nebraska state estimate).

Omaha median rent
$1,453/mo
Registered Nurse salary (Nebraska)
$87,866/yr
Rent as % of income
19.8%
Gross monthly income works out to about $7,322, and the 30% rule supports up to $2,197/mo in rent. Omaha's median rent of $1,453 leaves roughly $744/mo of headroom under that threshold. A registered nurse works roughly 34.4 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 Nebraska cities have lower median rent than Omaha, which improves the affordability math on a registered nurse salary:

Kearney, NE
$1,451/mo (19.8% of income)
Columbus, NE
$1,447/mo (19.8% of income)
Kearney, NE
$1,445/mo (19.7% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Omaha

View full rent data for Omaha, NE

Frequently asked questions

Can a registered nurse afford rent in Omaha, NE?

Median rent in Omaha is $1,453 a month. A typical registered nurse in Nebraska earns about $87,866 a year, which makes that rent 19.8% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is yes.

How much rent can a registered nurse afford in Omaha?

Using the 30% rule, a registered nurse salary in Nebraska (~$87,866/yr) supports up to $2,197 a month in rent. Omaha's current median rent is $1,453/mo, which leaves a $744/mo buffer.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $42 an hour, a registered nurse in Nebraska works roughly 34.4 hours a month to cover Omaha's median rent of $1,453.

Where is rent cheaper than Omaha for a registered nurse?

Nearby Nebraska cities with lower median rent include Kearney ($1,451/mo), Columbus ($1,447/mo), Kearney ($1,445/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a registered nurse salary.

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