Can A Waiter or Waitress Afford Rent in Carney, MD?

Rent-burdened — rent takes 45% of gross income.

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

Carney median rent
$1,478/mo
Waiter or Waitress salary (Maryland)
$39,452/yr
Rent as % of income
45%
Gross monthly income works out to about $3,288, and the 30% rule supports up to $986/mo in rent. Carney's median rent of $1,478 exceeds that threshold by $492/mo, putting a waiter or waitress salary into the rent-burdened range here. A waiter or waitress works roughly 77.9 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 Maryland cities have lower median rent than Carney, which improves the affordability math on a waiter or waitress salary:

Randallstown, MD
$1,473/mo (44.8% of income)
Randallstown, MD
$1,472/mo (44.8% of income)
Randallstown, MD
$1,471/mo (44.7% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Carney

View full rent data for Carney, MD

Frequently asked questions

Can a waiter or waitress afford rent in Carney, MD?

Median rent in Carney is $1,478 a month. A typical waiter or waitress in Maryland earns about $39,452 a year, which makes that rent 45% 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 Carney?

Using the 30% rule, a waiter or waitress salary in Maryland (~$39,452/yr) supports up to $986 a month in rent. Carney's current median rent is $1,478/mo, which is $492/mo over the affordability threshold.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $19 an hour, a waiter or waitress in Maryland works roughly 77.9 hours a month to cover Carney's median rent of $1,478.

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

Nearby Maryland cities with lower median rent include Randallstown ($1,473/mo), Randallstown ($1,472/mo), Randallstown ($1,471/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 Carney, MD. Affordability applies the 30% rule (rent ≤ 30% of gross income). Real take-home varies with taxes, household composition, overtime, tips, and benefits.