Can A Registered Nurse Afford Rent in Syracuse, NY?

Comfortably affordable — rent takes 17.2% of gross income.

Syracuse rent: June 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (New York state estimate).

Syracuse median rent
$1,546/mo
Registered Nurse salary (New York)
$107,707/yr
Rent as % of income
17.2%
Gross monthly income works out to about $8,976, and the 30% rule supports up to $2,693/mo in rent. Syracuse's median rent of $1,546 leaves roughly $1,147/mo of headroom under that threshold. A registered nurse works roughly 29.9 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 York cities have lower median rent than Syracuse, which improves the affordability math on a registered nurse salary:

Albany, NY
$1,541/mo (17.2% of income)
Brockport, NY
$1,537/mo (17.1% of income)
Watervliet, NY
$1,535/mo (17.1% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Syracuse

View full rent data for Syracuse, NY

Frequently asked questions

Can a registered nurse afford rent in Syracuse, NY?

Median rent in Syracuse is $1,546 a month. A typical registered nurse in New York earns about $107,707 a year, which makes that rent 17.2% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is yes.

How much rent can a registered nurse afford in Syracuse?

Using the 30% rule, a registered nurse salary in New York (~$107,707/yr) supports up to $2,693 a month in rent. Syracuse's current median rent is $1,546/mo, which leaves a $1,147/mo buffer.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $52 an hour, a registered nurse in New York works roughly 29.9 hours a month to cover Syracuse's median rent of $1,546.

Where is rent cheaper than Syracuse for a registered nurse?

Nearby New York cities with lower median rent include Albany ($1,541/mo), Brockport ($1,537/mo), Watervliet ($1,535/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a registered nurse salary.

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