Can A Registered Nurse Afford Rent in Des Moines, WA?
Comfortably affordable — rent takes 23.3% of gross income.
Des Moines rent: September 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Washington 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 Washington cities have lower median rent than Des Moines, which improves the affordability math on a registered nurse salary:
Compare with full rent data for Des Moines
View full rent data for Des Moines, WA →Frequently asked questions
Can a registered nurse afford rent in Des Moines, WA?
Median rent in Des Moines is $2,055 a month. A typical registered nurse in Washington earns about $105,818 a year, which makes that rent 23.3% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is yes.
How much rent can a registered nurse afford in Des Moines?
Using the 30% rule, a registered nurse salary in Washington (~$105,818/yr) supports up to $2,645 a month in rent. Des Moines's current median rent is $2,055/mo, which leaves a $590/mo buffer.
How many hours does a registered nurse work to cover rent in Des Moines?
At an hourly equivalent of about $51 an hour, a registered nurse in Washington works roughly 40.4 hours a month to cover Des Moines's median rent of $2,055.
Where is rent cheaper than Des Moines for a registered nurse?
Nearby Washington cities with lower median rent include Enumclaw ($2,054/mo), Enumclaw ($2,054/mo), Arlington ($2,053/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a registered nurse salary.