Can A Waiter or Waitress Afford Rent in Gretna, NE?

Rent-burdened — rent takes 63.8% of gross income.

Gretna rent: June 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Nebraska state estimate).

Gretna median rent
$1,807/mo
Waiter or Waitress salary (Nebraska)
$33,973/yr
Rent as % of income
63.8%
Gross monthly income works out to about $2,831, and the 30% rule supports up to $849/mo in rent. Gretna's median rent of $1,807 exceeds that threshold by $958/mo, putting a waiter or waitress salary into the rent-burdened range here. A waiter or waitress works roughly 110.6 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 Nebraska cities have lower median rent than Gretna, which improves the affordability math on a waiter or waitress salary:

Bennington, NE
$1,716/mo (60.6% of income)
Papillion, NE
$1,693/mo (59.8% of income)
Papillion, NE
$1,649/mo (58.2% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Gretna

View full rent data for Gretna, NE

Frequently asked questions

Can a waiter or waitress afford rent in Gretna, NE?

Median rent in Gretna is $1,807 a month. A typical waiter or waitress in Nebraska earns about $33,973 a year, which makes that rent 63.8% 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 Gretna?

Using the 30% rule, a waiter or waitress salary in Nebraska (~$33,973/yr) supports up to $849 a month in rent. Gretna's current median rent is $1,807/mo, which is $958/mo over the affordability threshold.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $16 an hour, a waiter or waitress in Nebraska works roughly 110.6 hours a month to cover Gretna's median rent of $1,807.

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

Nearby Nebraska cities with lower median rent include Bennington ($1,716/mo), Papillion ($1,693/mo), Papillion ($1,649/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a waiter or waitress salary.

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