Can A Waiter or Waitress Afford Rent in Brooksville, FL?

Rent-burdened — rent takes 55.6% of gross income.

Brooksville rent: June 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Florida state estimate).

Brooksville median rent
$1,574/mo
Waiter or Waitress salary (Florida)
$33,973/yr
Rent as % of income
55.6%
Gross monthly income works out to about $2,831, and the 30% rule supports up to $849/mo in rent. Brooksville's median rent of $1,574 exceeds that threshold by $725/mo, putting a waiter or waitress salary into the rent-burdened range here. A waiter or waitress works roughly 96.4 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 Florida cities have lower median rent than Brooksville, which improves the affordability math on a waiter or waitress salary:

Jacksonville, FL
$1,573/mo (55.6% of income)
Leesburg, FL
$1,573/mo (55.6% of income)
Ocala, FL
$1,572/mo (55.5% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Brooksville

View full rent data for Brooksville, FL

Frequently asked questions

Can a waiter or waitress afford rent in Brooksville, FL?

Median rent in Brooksville is $1,574 a month. A typical waiter or waitress in Florida earns about $33,973 a year, which makes that rent 55.6% 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 Brooksville?

Using the 30% rule, a waiter or waitress salary in Florida (~$33,973/yr) supports up to $849 a month in rent. Brooksville's current median rent is $1,574/mo, which is $725/mo over the affordability threshold.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $16 an hour, a waiter or waitress in Florida works roughly 96.4 hours a month to cover Brooksville's median rent of $1,574.

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

Nearby Florida cities with lower median rent include Jacksonville ($1,573/mo), Leesburg ($1,573/mo), Ocala ($1,572/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a waiter or waitress salary.

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