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

Rent-burdened — rent takes 91.7% of gross income.

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

Hernando median rent
$2,261/mo
Waiter or Waitress salary (Mississippi)
$29,589/yr
Rent as % of income
91.7%
Gross monthly income works out to about $2,466, and the 30% rule supports up to $740/mo in rent. Hernando's median rent of $2,261 exceeds that threshold by $1,521/mo, putting a waiter or waitress salary into the rent-burdened range here. A waiter or waitress works roughly 158.9 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 Mississippi cities have lower median rent than Hernando, which improves the affordability math on a waiter or waitress salary:

Oxford, MS
$2,251/mo (91.3% of income)
Oxford, MS
$2,228/mo (90.4% of income)
Oxford, MS
$2,213/mo (89.7% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Hernando

View full rent data for Hernando, MS

Frequently asked questions

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

Median rent in Hernando is $2,261 a month. A typical waiter or waitress in Mississippi earns about $29,589 a year, which makes that rent 91.7% 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 Hernando?

Using the 30% rule, a waiter or waitress salary in Mississippi (~$29,589/yr) supports up to $740 a month in rent. Hernando's current median rent is $2,261/mo, which is $1,521/mo over the affordability threshold.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $14 an hour, a waiter or waitress in Mississippi works roughly 158.9 hours a month to cover Hernando's median rent of $2,261.

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

Nearby Mississippi cities with lower median rent include Oxford ($2,251/mo), Oxford ($2,228/mo), Oxford ($2,213/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 Hernando, MS. Affordability applies the 30% rule (rent ≤ 30% of gross income). Real take-home varies with taxes, household composition, overtime, tips, and benefits.