Can A Waiter or Waitress Afford Rent in Clinton, MS?

Rent-burdened — rent takes 64.4% of gross income.

Clinton rent: June 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Mississippi state estimate).

Clinton median rent
$1,587/mo
Waiter or Waitress salary (Mississippi)
$29,589/yr
Rent as % of income
64.4%
Gross monthly income works out to about $2,466, and the 30% rule supports up to $740/mo in rent. Clinton's median rent of $1,587 exceeds that threshold by $847/mo, putting a waiter or waitress salary into the rent-burdened range here. A waiter or waitress works roughly 111.6 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 Mississippi cities have lower median rent than Clinton, which improves the affordability math on a waiter or waitress salary:

Flowood, MS
$1,586/mo (64.3% of income)
Flowood, MS
$1,583/mo (64.2% of income)
Flowood, MS
$1,580/mo (64.1% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Clinton

View full rent data for Clinton, MS

Frequently asked questions

Can a waiter or waitress afford rent in Clinton, MS?

Median rent in Clinton is $1,587 a month. A typical waiter or waitress in Mississippi earns about $29,589 a year, which makes that rent 64.4% 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 Clinton?

Using the 30% rule, a waiter or waitress salary in Mississippi (~$29,589/yr) supports up to $740 a month in rent. Clinton's current median rent is $1,587/mo, which is $847/mo over the affordability threshold.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $14 an hour, a waiter or waitress in Mississippi works roughly 111.6 hours a month to cover Clinton's median rent of $1,587.

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

Nearby Mississippi cities with lower median rent include Flowood ($1,586/mo), Flowood ($1,583/mo), Flowood ($1,580/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a waiter or waitress salary.

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