Can A Registered Nurse Afford Rent in Colonial Heights, VA?

Comfortably affordable — rent takes 21% of gross income.

Colonial Heights rent: June 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Virginia state estimate).

Colonial Heights median rent
$1,690/mo
Registered Nurse salary (Virginia)
$96,370/yr
Rent as % of income
21%
Gross monthly income works out to about $8,031, and the 30% rule supports up to $2,409/mo in rent. Colonial Heights's median rent of $1,690 leaves roughly $719/mo of headroom under that threshold. A registered nurse works roughly 36.5 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 Virginia cities have lower median rent than Colonial Heights, which improves the affordability math on a registered nurse salary:

Woodbridge, VA
$1,689/mo (21% of income)
Richmond, VA
$1,687/mo (21% of income)
Harrisonburg, VA
$1,686/mo (21% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Colonial Heights

View full rent data for Colonial Heights, VA

Frequently asked questions

Can a registered nurse afford rent in Colonial Heights, VA?

Median rent in Colonial Heights is $1,690 a month. A typical registered nurse in Virginia earns about $96,370 a year, which makes that rent 21% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is yes.

How much rent can a registered nurse afford in Colonial Heights?

Using the 30% rule, a registered nurse salary in Virginia (~$96,370/yr) supports up to $2,409 a month in rent. Colonial Heights's current median rent is $1,690/mo, which leaves a $719/mo buffer.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $46 an hour, a registered nurse in Virginia works roughly 36.5 hours a month to cover Colonial Heights's median rent of $1,690.

Where is rent cheaper than Colonial Heights for a registered nurse?

Nearby Virginia cities with lower median rent include Woodbridge ($1,689/mo), Richmond ($1,687/mo), Harrisonburg ($1,686/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a registered nurse salary.

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