Can A Registered Nurse Afford Rent in Salt Lake City, UT?
Comfortably affordable — rent takes 21.6% of gross income.
Salt Lake City rent: June 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Utah 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 Utah cities have lower median rent than Salt Lake City, which improves the affordability math on a registered nurse salary:
Compare with full rent data for Salt Lake City
View full rent data for Salt Lake City, UT →Frequently asked questions
Can a registered nurse afford rent in Salt Lake City, UT?
Median rent in Salt Lake City is $1,629 a month. A typical registered nurse in Utah earns about $90,701 a year, which makes that rent 21.6% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is yes.
How much rent can a registered nurse afford in Salt Lake City?
Using the 30% rule, a registered nurse salary in Utah (~$90,701/yr) supports up to $2,268 a month in rent. Salt Lake City's current median rent is $1,629/mo, which leaves a $639/mo buffer.
How many hours does a registered nurse work to cover rent in Salt Lake City?
At an hourly equivalent of about $44 an hour, a registered nurse in Utah works roughly 37.4 hours a month to cover Salt Lake City's median rent of $1,629.
Where is rent cheaper than Salt Lake City for a registered nurse?
Nearby Utah cities with lower median rent include Midvale ($1,627/mo), Bountiful ($1,626/mo), Midvale ($1,626/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a registered nurse salary.