Can A Registered Nurse Afford Rent in Salem, NJ?
Comfortably affordable — rent takes 20.1% of gross income.
Salem rent: March 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (New Jersey 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 New Jersey cities have lower median rent than Salem, which improves the affordability math on a registered nurse salary:
Compare with full rent data for Salem
View full rent data for Salem, NJ →Frequently asked questions
Can a registered nurse afford rent in Salem, NJ?
Median rent in Salem is $1,775 a month. A typical registered nurse in New Jersey earns about $105,818 a year, which makes that rent 20.1% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is yes.
How much rent can a registered nurse afford in Salem?
Using the 30% rule, a registered nurse salary in New Jersey (~$105,818/yr) supports up to $2,645 a month in rent. Salem's current median rent is $1,775/mo, which leaves a $870/mo buffer.
How many hours does a registered nurse work to cover rent in Salem?
At an hourly equivalent of about $51 an hour, a registered nurse in New Jersey works roughly 34.9 hours a month to cover Salem's median rent of $1,775.
Where is rent cheaper than Salem for a registered nurse?
Nearby New Jersey cities with lower median rent include Haddonfield ($1,774/mo), Orange ($1,774/mo), Budd Lake ($1,773/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a registered nurse salary.