Can A Registered Nurse Afford Rent in Carlisle, PA?

Comfortably affordable — rent takes 19.3% of gross income.

Carlisle rent: June 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Pennsylvania state estimate).

Carlisle median rent
$1,508/mo
Registered Nurse salary (Pennsylvania)
$93,535/yr
Rent as % of income
19.3%
Gross monthly income works out to about $7,795, and the 30% rule supports up to $2,338/mo in rent. Carlisle's median rent of $1,508 leaves roughly $830/mo of headroom under that threshold. A registered nurse works roughly 33.5 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 Pennsylvania cities have lower median rent than Carlisle, which improves the affordability math on a registered nurse salary:

Coraopolis, PA
$1,507/mo (19.3% of income)
Clifton Heights, PA
$1,507/mo (19.3% of income)
Camp Hill, PA
$1,506/mo (19.3% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Carlisle

View full rent data for Carlisle, PA

Frequently asked questions

Can a registered nurse afford rent in Carlisle, PA?

Median rent in Carlisle is $1,508 a month. A typical registered nurse in Pennsylvania earns about $93,535 a year, which makes that rent 19.3% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is yes.

How much rent can a registered nurse afford in Carlisle?

Using the 30% rule, a registered nurse salary in Pennsylvania (~$93,535/yr) supports up to $2,338 a month in rent. Carlisle's current median rent is $1,508/mo, which leaves a $830/mo buffer.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $45 an hour, a registered nurse in Pennsylvania works roughly 33.5 hours a month to cover Carlisle's median rent of $1,508.

Where is rent cheaper than Carlisle for a registered nurse?

Nearby Pennsylvania cities with lower median rent include Coraopolis ($1,507/mo), Clifton Heights ($1,507/mo), Camp Hill ($1,506/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a registered nurse salary.

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