Can A Registered Nurse Afford Rent in Darby, PA?

Comfortably affordable — rent takes 20.5% of gross income.

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

Darby median rent
$1,594/mo
Registered Nurse salary (Pennsylvania)
$93,535/yr
Rent as % of income
20.5%
Gross monthly income works out to about $7,795, and the 30% rule supports up to $2,338/mo in rent. Darby's median rent of $1,594 leaves roughly $744/mo of headroom under that threshold. A registered nurse works roughly 35.4 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 Darby, which improves the affordability math on a registered nurse salary:

Carlisle, PA
$1,593/mo (20.4% of income)
Mount Joy, PA
$1,593/mo (20.4% of income)
Mount Joy, PA
$1,593/mo (20.4% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Darby

View full rent data for Darby, PA

Frequently asked questions

Can a registered nurse afford rent in Darby, PA?

Median rent in Darby is $1,594 a month. A typical registered nurse in Pennsylvania earns about $93,535 a year, which makes that rent 20.5% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is yes.

How much rent can a registered nurse afford in Darby?

Using the 30% rule, a registered nurse salary in Pennsylvania (~$93,535/yr) supports up to $2,338 a month in rent. Darby's current median rent is $1,594/mo, which leaves a $744/mo buffer.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $45 an hour, a registered nurse in Pennsylvania works roughly 35.4 hours a month to cover Darby's median rent of $1,594.

Where is rent cheaper than Darby for a registered nurse?

Nearby Pennsylvania cities with lower median rent include Carlisle ($1,593/mo), Mount Joy ($1,593/mo), Mount Joy ($1,593/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 Darby, PA. Affordability applies the 30% rule (rent ≤ 30% of gross income). Real take-home varies with taxes, household composition, overtime, tips, and benefits.