Can A Registered Nurse Afford Rent in Lenoir City, TN?

Comfortably affordable — rent takes 25.2% of gross income.

Lenoir City rent: September 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Tennessee state estimate).

Lenoir City median rent
$1,828/mo
Registered Nurse salary (Tennessee)
$86,922/yr
Rent as % of income
25.2%
Gross monthly income works out to about $7,244, and the 30% rule supports up to $2,173/mo in rent. Lenoir City's median rent of $1,828 leaves roughly $345/mo of headroom under that threshold. A registered nurse works roughly 43.7 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 Lenoir City, which improves the affordability math on a registered nurse salary:

Nashville, TN
$1,820/mo (25.1% of income)
Nashville, TN
$1,813/mo (25% of income)
Nashville, TN
$1,809/mo (25% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Lenoir City

View full rent data for Lenoir City, TN →

Frequently asked questions

Can a registered nurse afford rent in Lenoir City, TN?

Median rent in Lenoir City is $1,828 a month. A typical registered nurse in Tennessee earns about $86,922 a year, which makes that rent 25.2% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is yes.

How much rent can a registered nurse afford in Lenoir City?

Using the 30% rule, a registered nurse salary in Tennessee (~$86,922/yr) supports up to $2,173 a month in rent. Lenoir City's current median rent is $1,828/mo, which leaves a $345/mo buffer.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $42 an hour, a registered nurse in Tennessee works roughly 43.7 hours a month to cover Lenoir City's median rent of $1,828.

Where is rent cheaper than Lenoir City for a registered nurse?

Nearby Tennessee cities with lower median rent include Nashville ($1,820/mo), Nashville ($1,813/mo), Nashville ($1,809/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 Lenoir City, TN. Affordability applies the 30% rule (rent ≤ 30% of gross income). Real take-home varies with taxes, household composition, overtime, tips, and benefits.