Can A Registered Nurse Afford Rent in Hobbs, NM?

Comfortably affordable — rent takes 21.1% of gross income.

Hobbs rent: June 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (New Mexico state estimate).

Hobbs median rent
$1,497/mo
Registered Nurse salary (New Mexico)
$85,032/yr
Rent as % of income
21.1%
Gross monthly income works out to about $7,086, and the 30% rule supports up to $2,126/mo in rent. Hobbs's median rent of $1,497 leaves roughly $629/mo of headroom under that threshold. A registered nurse works roughly 36.6 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 New Mexico cities have lower median rent than Hobbs, which improves the affordability math on a registered nurse salary:

Alamogordo, NM
$1,496/mo (21.1% of income)
Alamogordo, NM
$1,496/mo (21.1% of income)
Alamogordo, NM
$1,495/mo (21.1% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Hobbs

View full rent data for Hobbs, NM

Frequently asked questions

Can a registered nurse afford rent in Hobbs, NM?

Median rent in Hobbs is $1,497 a month. A typical registered nurse in New Mexico earns about $85,032 a year, which makes that rent 21.1% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is yes.

How much rent can a registered nurse afford in Hobbs?

Using the 30% rule, a registered nurse salary in New Mexico (~$85,032/yr) supports up to $2,126 a month in rent. Hobbs's current median rent is $1,497/mo, which leaves a $629/mo buffer.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $41 an hour, a registered nurse in New Mexico works roughly 36.6 hours a month to cover Hobbs's median rent of $1,497.

Where is rent cheaper than Hobbs for a registered nurse?

Nearby New Mexico cities with lower median rent include Alamogordo ($1,496/mo), Alamogordo ($1,496/mo), Alamogordo ($1,495/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a registered nurse salary.

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