Can A Waiter or Waitress Afford Rent in Brooklyn Park, MD?

Rent-burdened — rent takes 51.7% of gross income.

Brooklyn Park rent: June 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Maryland state estimate).

Brooklyn Park median rent
$1,700/mo
Waiter or Waitress salary (Maryland)
$39,452/yr
Rent as % of income
51.7%
Gross monthly income works out to about $3,288, and the 30% rule supports up to $986/mo in rent. Brooklyn Park's median rent of $1,700 exceeds that threshold by $714/mo, putting a waiter or waitress salary into the rent-burdened range here. A waiter or waitress works roughly 89.6 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 Maryland cities have lower median rent than Brooklyn Park, which improves the affordability math on a waiter or waitress salary:

New Carrollton, MD
$1,698/mo (51.6% of income)
Baltimore, MD
$1,698/mo (51.6% of income)
New Carrollton, MD
$1,698/mo (51.6% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Brooklyn Park

View full rent data for Brooklyn Park, MD

Frequently asked questions

Can a waiter or waitress afford rent in Brooklyn Park, MD?

Median rent in Brooklyn Park is $1,700 a month. A typical waiter or waitress in Maryland earns about $39,452 a year, which makes that rent 51.7% 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 Brooklyn Park?

Using the 30% rule, a waiter or waitress salary in Maryland (~$39,452/yr) supports up to $986 a month in rent. Brooklyn Park's current median rent is $1,700/mo, which is $714/mo over the affordability threshold.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $19 an hour, a waiter or waitress in Maryland works roughly 89.6 hours a month to cover Brooklyn Park's median rent of $1,700.

Where is rent cheaper than Brooklyn Park for a waiter or waitress?

Nearby Maryland cities with lower median rent include New Carrollton ($1,698/mo), Baltimore ($1,698/mo), New Carrollton ($1,698/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a waiter or waitress salary.

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