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

Stretched but workable — rent takes 33.1% of gross income.

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

Scottsbluff median rent
$938/mo
Waiter or Waitress salary (Nebraska)
$33,973/yr
Rent as % of income
33.1%
Gross monthly income works out to about $2,831, and the 30% rule supports up to $849/mo in rent. Scottsbluff's median rent of $938 exceeds that threshold by $89/mo, putting a waiter or waitress salary into the rent-burdened range here. A waiter or waitress works roughly 57.4 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.

Compare with full rent data for Scottsbluff

View full rent data for Scottsbluff, NE

Frequently asked questions

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

Median rent in Scottsbluff is $938 a month. A typical waiter or waitress in Nebraska earns about $33,973 a year, which makes that rent 33.1% 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 Scottsbluff?

Using the 30% rule, a waiter or waitress salary in Nebraska (~$33,973/yr) supports up to $849 a month in rent. Scottsbluff's current median rent is $938/mo, which is $89/mo over the affordability threshold.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $16 an hour, a waiter or waitress in Nebraska works roughly 57.4 hours a month to cover Scottsbluff's median rent of $938.

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