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

Rent-burdened — rent takes 74.4% of gross income.

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

Randolph median rent
$2,627/mo
Waiter or Waitress salary (Massachusetts)
$42,375/yr
Rent as % of income
74.4%
Gross monthly income works out to about $3,531, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,059/mo in rent. Randolph's median rent of $2,627 exceeds that threshold by $1,568/mo, putting a waiter or waitress salary into the rent-burdened range here. A waiter or waitress works roughly 128.9 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 Randolph, which improves the affordability math on a waiter or waitress salary:

Quincy, MA
$2,626/mo (74.4% of income)
Gloucester, MA
$2,626/mo (74.4% of income)
Woburn, MA
$2,626/mo (74.4% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Randolph

View full rent data for Randolph, MA

Frequently asked questions

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

Median rent in Randolph is $2,627 a month. A typical waiter or waitress in Massachusetts earns about $42,375 a year, which makes that rent 74.4% 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 Randolph?

Using the 30% rule, a waiter or waitress salary in Massachusetts (~$42,375/yr) supports up to $1,059 a month in rent. Randolph's current median rent is $2,627/mo, which is $1,568/mo over the affordability threshold.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $20 an hour, a waiter or waitress in Massachusetts works roughly 128.9 hours a month to cover Randolph's median rent of $2,627.

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

Nearby Massachusetts cities with lower median rent include Quincy ($2,626/mo), Gloucester ($2,626/mo), Woburn ($2,626/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 Randolph, MA. Affordability applies the 30% rule (rent ≤ 30% of gross income). Real take-home varies with taxes, household composition, overtime, tips, and benefits.