Can A Waiter or Waitress Afford Rent in Bisbee, AZ?

Stretched but workable — rent takes 37.3% of gross income.

Bisbee rent: January 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Arizona state estimate).

Bisbee median rent
$1,100/mo
Waiter or Waitress salary (Arizona)
$35,434/yr
Rent as % of income
37.3%
Gross monthly income works out to about $2,953, and the 30% rule supports up to $886/mo in rent. Bisbee's median rent of $1,100 exceeds that threshold by $214/mo, putting a waiter or waitress salary into the rent-burdened range here. A waiter or waitress works roughly 64.6 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 Arizona cities have lower median rent than Bisbee, which improves the affordability math on a waiter or waitress salary:

Winslow, AZ
$1,050/mo (35.6% of income)
South Tucson, AZ
$1,017/mo (34.4% of income)
Tucson, AZ
$989/mo (33.5% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Bisbee

View full rent data for Bisbee, AZ

Frequently asked questions

Can a waiter or waitress afford rent in Bisbee, AZ?

Median rent in Bisbee is $1,100 a month. A typical waiter or waitress in Arizona earns about $35,434 a year, which makes that rent 37.3% 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 Bisbee?

Using the 30% rule, a waiter or waitress salary in Arizona (~$35,434/yr) supports up to $886 a month in rent. Bisbee's current median rent is $1,100/mo, which is $214/mo over the affordability threshold.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $17 an hour, a waiter or waitress in Arizona works roughly 64.6 hours a month to cover Bisbee's median rent of $1,100.

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

Nearby Arizona cities with lower median rent include Winslow ($1,050/mo), South Tucson ($1,017/mo), Tucson ($989/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a waiter or waitress salary.

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