Can A Waiter or Waitress Afford Rent in Plainville, MA?

Rent-burdened — rent takes 59.3% of gross income.

Plainville rent: June 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Massachusetts state estimate).

Plainville median rent
$2,094/mo
Waiter or Waitress salary (Massachusetts)
$42,375/yr
Rent as % of income
59.3%
Gross monthly income works out to about $3,531, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,059/mo in rent. Plainville's median rent of $2,094 exceeds that threshold by $1,035/mo, putting a waiter or waitress salary into the rent-burdened range here. A waiter or waitress works roughly 102.8 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 Massachusetts cities have lower median rent than Plainville, which improves the affordability math on a waiter or waitress salary:

Northampton, MA
$2,091/mo (59.2% of income)
Taunton, MA
$2,090/mo (59.2% of income)
Taunton, MA
$2,090/mo (59.2% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Plainville

View full rent data for Plainville, MA

Frequently asked questions

Can a waiter or waitress afford rent in Plainville, MA?

Median rent in Plainville is $2,094 a month. A typical waiter or waitress in Massachusetts earns about $42,375 a year, which makes that rent 59.3% 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 Plainville?

Using the 30% rule, a waiter or waitress salary in Massachusetts (~$42,375/yr) supports up to $1,059 a month in rent. Plainville's current median rent is $2,094/mo, which is $1,035/mo over the affordability threshold.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $20 an hour, a waiter or waitress in Massachusetts works roughly 102.8 hours a month to cover Plainville's median rent of $2,094.

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

Nearby Massachusetts cities with lower median rent include Northampton ($2,091/mo), Taunton ($2,090/mo), Taunton ($2,090/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a waiter or waitress salary.

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