Can A Registered Nurse Afford Rent in Forest Grove, OR?

Comfortably affordable — rent takes 21.2% of gross income.

Forest Grove rent: June 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Oregon state estimate).

Forest Grove median rent
$1,738/mo
Registered Nurse salary (Oregon)
$98,259/yr
Rent as % of income
21.2%
Gross monthly income works out to about $8,188, and the 30% rule supports up to $2,456/mo in rent. Forest Grove's median rent of $1,738 leaves roughly $718/mo of headroom under that threshold. A registered nurse works roughly 36.8 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 Oregon cities have lower median rent than Forest Grove, which improves the affordability math on a registered nurse salary:

Canby, OR
$1,736/mo (21.2% of income)
Albany, OR
$1,736/mo (21.2% of income)
Woodburn, OR
$1,735/mo (21.2% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Forest Grove

View full rent data for Forest Grove, OR

Frequently asked questions

Can a registered nurse afford rent in Forest Grove, OR?

Median rent in Forest Grove is $1,738 a month. A typical registered nurse in Oregon earns about $98,259 a year, which makes that rent 21.2% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is yes.

How much rent can a registered nurse afford in Forest Grove?

Using the 30% rule, a registered nurse salary in Oregon (~$98,259/yr) supports up to $2,456 a month in rent. Forest Grove's current median rent is $1,738/mo, which leaves a $718/mo buffer.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $47 an hour, a registered nurse in Oregon works roughly 36.8 hours a month to cover Forest Grove's median rent of $1,738.

Where is rent cheaper than Forest Grove for a registered nurse?

Nearby Oregon cities with lower median rent include Canby ($1,736/mo), Albany ($1,736/mo), Woodburn ($1,735/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a registered nurse salary.

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