Can A Waiter or Waitress Afford Rent in Foley, AL?

Rent-burdened — rent takes 65.2% of gross income.

Foley rent: June 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Alabama state estimate).

Foley median rent
$1,707/mo
Waiter or Waitress salary (Alabama)
$31,416/yr
Rent as % of income
65.2%
Gross monthly income works out to about $2,618, and the 30% rule supports up to $785/mo in rent. Foley's median rent of $1,707 exceeds that threshold by $922/mo, putting a waiter or waitress salary into the rent-burdened range here. A waiter or waitress works roughly 113 hours a month to cover that rent.

About rent and a waiter or waitress salary

Declared server pay (base plus reported tips) sits below the rent threshold needed for a one-bedroom apartment in most US cities, which is why the server workforce tends to live in shared housing. Actual tip income varies widely and can push real take-home well above the BLS figure, particularly in fine-dining and high-volume restaurants. At the national-average declared server salary, the 30% rule supports about $913 a month in rent. The per-city pages show which markets keep rent within that range.

Cheaper rent nearby

These Alabama cities have lower median rent than Foley, which improves the affordability math on a waiter or waitress salary:

Owens Cross Roads, AL
$1,706/mo (65.2% of income)
Homewood, AL
$1,704/mo (65.1% of income)
Moody, AL
$1,703/mo (65% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Foley

View full rent data for Foley, AL

Frequently asked questions

Can a waiter or waitress afford rent in Foley, AL?

Median rent in Foley is $1,707 a month. A typical waiter or waitress in Alabama earns about $31,416 a year, which makes that rent 65.2% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is no — rent exceeds the 30% threshold.

How much rent can a waiter or waitress afford in Foley?

Using the 30% rule, a waiter or waitress salary in Alabama (~$31,416/yr) supports up to $785 a month in rent. Foley's current median rent is $1,707/mo, which is $922/mo over the affordability threshold.

How many hours does a waiter or waitress work to cover rent in Foley?

At an hourly equivalent of about $15 an hour, a waiter or waitress in Alabama works roughly 113 hours a month to cover Foley's median rent of $1,707.

Where is rent cheaper than Foley for a waiter or waitress?

Nearby Alabama cities with lower median rent include Owens Cross Roads ($1,706/mo), Homewood ($1,704/mo), Moody ($1,703/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a waiter or waitress salary.

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