Can A Waiter or Waitress Afford Rent in Miles City, MT?
Stretched but workable — rent takes 30.3% of gross income.
Miles City rent: April 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Montana state estimate).
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.
Compare with full rent data for Miles City
View full rent data for Miles City, MT →Frequently asked questions
Can a waiter or waitress afford rent in Miles City, MT?
Median rent in Miles City is $813 a month. A typical waiter or waitress in Montana earns about $32,146 a year, which makes that rent 30.3% 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 Miles City?
Using the 30% rule, a waiter or waitress salary in Montana (~$32,146/yr) supports up to $804 a month in rent. Miles City's current median rent is $813/mo, which is $9/mo over the affordability threshold.
How many hours does a waiter or waitress work to cover rent in Miles City?
At an hourly equivalent of about $15 an hour, a waiter or waitress in Montana works roughly 52.6 hours a month to cover Miles City's median rent of $813.