Can A Registered Nurse Afford Rent in Papillion, NE?

Comfortably affordable — rent takes 22.7% of gross income.

Papillion rent: September 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Nebraska state estimate).

Papillion median rent
$1,659/mo
Registered Nurse salary (Nebraska)
$87,866/yr
Rent as % of income
22.7%
Gross monthly income works out to about $7,322, and the 30% rule supports up to $2,197/mo in rent. Papillion's median rent of $1,659 leaves roughly $538/mo of headroom under that threshold. A registered nurse works roughly 39.3 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 Papillion, which improves the affordability math on a registered nurse salary:

Kearney, NE
$1,656/mo (22.6% of income)
Kearney, NE
$1,634/mo (22.3% of income)
Kearney, NE
$1,621/mo (22.1% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Papillion

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Frequently asked questions

Can a registered nurse afford rent in Papillion, NE?

Median rent in Papillion is $1,659 a month. A typical registered nurse in Nebraska earns about $87,866 a year, which makes that rent 22.7% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is yes.

How much rent can a registered nurse afford in Papillion?

Using the 30% rule, a registered nurse salary in Nebraska (~$87,866/yr) supports up to $2,197 a month in rent. Papillion's current median rent is $1,659/mo, which leaves a $538/mo buffer.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $42 an hour, a registered nurse in Nebraska works roughly 39.3 hours a month to cover Papillion's median rent of $1,659.

Where is rent cheaper than Papillion for a registered nurse?

Nearby Nebraska cities with lower median rent include Kearney ($1,656/mo), Kearney ($1,634/mo), Kearney ($1,621/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 Papillion, NE. Affordability applies the 30% rule (rent ≤ 30% of gross income). Real take-home varies with taxes, household composition, overtime, tips, and benefits.