Can A Registered Nurse Afford Rent in Covington, TN?

Comfortably affordable — rent takes 15.2% of gross income.

Covington rent: June 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Tennessee state estimate).

Covington median rent
$1,100/mo
Registered Nurse salary (Tennessee)
$86,922/yr
Rent as % of income
15.2%
Gross monthly income works out to about $7,244, and the 30% rule supports up to $2,173/mo in rent. Covington's median rent of $1,100 leaves roughly $1,073/mo of headroom under that threshold. A registered nurse works roughly 26.3 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 Tennessee cities have lower median rent than Covington, which improves the affordability math on a registered nurse salary:

Athens, TN
$1,099/mo (15.2% of income)
Chattanooga, TN
$1,089/mo (15% of income)
Knoxville, TN
$1,086/mo (15% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Covington

View full rent data for Covington, TN

Frequently asked questions

Can a registered nurse afford rent in Covington, TN?

Median rent in Covington is $1,100 a month. A typical registered nurse in Tennessee earns about $86,922 a year, which makes that rent 15.2% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is yes.

How much rent can a registered nurse afford in Covington?

Using the 30% rule, a registered nurse salary in Tennessee (~$86,922/yr) supports up to $2,173 a month in rent. Covington's current median rent is $1,100/mo, which leaves a $1,073/mo buffer.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $42 an hour, a registered nurse in Tennessee works roughly 26.3 hours a month to cover Covington's median rent of $1,100.

Where is rent cheaper than Covington for a registered nurse?

Nearby Tennessee cities with lower median rent include Athens ($1,099/mo), Chattanooga ($1,089/mo), Knoxville ($1,086/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a registered nurse salary.

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