Can A Registered Nurse Afford Rent in Portland, TN?
Comfortably affordable — rent takes 22.1% of gross income.
Portland rent: July 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Tennessee state estimate).
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 Portland, which improves the affordability math on a registered nurse salary:
Compare with full rent data for Portland
View full rent data for Portland, TN →Frequently asked questions
Can a registered nurse afford rent in Portland, TN?
Median rent in Portland is $1,600 a month. A typical registered nurse in Tennessee earns about $86,922 a year, which makes that rent 22.1% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is yes.
How much rent can a registered nurse afford in Portland?
Using the 30% rule, a registered nurse salary in Tennessee (~$86,922/yr) supports up to $2,173 a month in rent. Portland's current median rent is $1,600/mo, which leaves a $573/mo buffer.
How many hours does a registered nurse work to cover rent in Portland?
At an hourly equivalent of about $42 an hour, a registered nurse in Tennessee works roughly 38.3 hours a month to cover Portland's median rent of $1,600.
Where is rent cheaper than Portland for a registered nurse?
Nearby Tennessee cities with lower median rent include Millington ($1,599/mo), Mount Juliet ($1,599/mo), Springfield ($1,598/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a registered nurse salary.