Can A Waiter or Waitress Afford Rent in Rome, GA?
Rent-burdened — rent takes 45.7% of gross income.
Rome rent: July 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Georgia state estimate).
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 Georgia cities have lower median rent than Rome, which improves the affordability math on a waiter or waitress salary:
Compare with full rent data for Rome
View full rent data for Rome, GA →Frequently asked questions
Can a waiter or waitress afford rent in Rome, GA?
Median rent in Rome is $1,323 a month. A typical waiter or waitress in Georgia earns about $34,704 a year, which makes that rent 45.7% 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 Rome?
Using the 30% rule, a waiter or waitress salary in Georgia (~$34,704/yr) supports up to $868 a month in rent. Rome's current median rent is $1,323/mo, which is $455/mo over the affordability threshold.
How many hours does a waiter or waitress work to cover rent in Rome?
At an hourly equivalent of about $17 an hour, a waiter or waitress in Georgia works roughly 79.3 hours a month to cover Rome's median rent of $1,323.
Where is rent cheaper than Rome for a waiter or waitress?
Nearby Georgia cities with lower median rent include Lagrange ($1,322/mo), Griffin ($1,322/mo), Valdosta ($1,321/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a waiter or waitress salary.