Can A Registered Nurse Afford Rent in Harrisonburg, VA?

Comfortably affordable — rent takes 23% of gross income.

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

Harrisonburg median rent
$1,848/mo
Registered Nurse salary (Virginia)
$96,370/yr
Rent as % of income
23%
Gross monthly income works out to about $8,031, and the 30% rule supports up to $2,409/mo in rent. Harrisonburg's median rent of $1,848 leaves roughly $561/mo of headroom under that threshold. A registered nurse works roughly 39.9 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 Harrisonburg, which improves the affordability math on a registered nurse salary:

Suffolk, VA
$1,846/mo (23% of income)
Spotsylvania, VA
$1,838/mo (22.9% of income)
Blacksburg, VA
$1,837/mo (22.9% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Harrisonburg

View full rent data for Harrisonburg, VA

Frequently asked questions

Can a registered nurse afford rent in Harrisonburg, VA?

Median rent in Harrisonburg is $1,848 a month. A typical registered nurse in Virginia earns about $96,370 a year, which makes that rent 23% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is yes.

How much rent can a registered nurse afford in Harrisonburg?

Using the 30% rule, a registered nurse salary in Virginia (~$96,370/yr) supports up to $2,409 a month in rent. Harrisonburg's current median rent is $1,848/mo, which leaves a $561/mo buffer.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $46 an hour, a registered nurse in Virginia works roughly 39.9 hours a month to cover Harrisonburg's median rent of $1,848.

Where is rent cheaper than Harrisonburg for a registered nurse?

Nearby Virginia cities with lower median rent include Suffolk ($1,846/mo), Spotsylvania ($1,838/mo), Blacksburg ($1,837/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 Harrisonburg, VA. Affordability applies the 30% rule (rent ≤ 30% of gross income). Real take-home varies with taxes, household composition, overtime, tips, and benefits.