Can A Waiter or Waitress Afford Rent in Somersworth, NH?

Rent-burdened — rent takes 61.4% of gross income.

Somersworth rent: June 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (New Hampshire state estimate).

Somersworth median rent
$1,926/mo
Waiter or Waitress salary (New Hampshire)
$37,626/yr
Rent as % of income
61.4%
Gross monthly income works out to about $3,136, and the 30% rule supports up to $941/mo in rent. Somersworth's median rent of $1,926 exceeds that threshold by $985/mo, putting a waiter or waitress salary into the rent-burdened range here. A waiter or waitress works roughly 106.5 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 New Hampshire cities have lower median rent than Somersworth, which improves the affordability math on a waiter or waitress salary:

Manchester, NH
$1,924/mo (61.4% of income)
Manchester, NH
$1,917/mo (61.1% of income)
Hampton, NH
$1,916/mo (61.1% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Somersworth

View full rent data for Somersworth, NH

Frequently asked questions

Can a waiter or waitress afford rent in Somersworth, NH?

Median rent in Somersworth is $1,926 a month. A typical waiter or waitress in New Hampshire earns about $37,626 a year, which makes that rent 61.4% 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 Somersworth?

Using the 30% rule, a waiter or waitress salary in New Hampshire (~$37,626/yr) supports up to $941 a month in rent. Somersworth's current median rent is $1,926/mo, which is $985/mo over the affordability threshold.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $18 an hour, a waiter or waitress in New Hampshire works roughly 106.5 hours a month to cover Somersworth's median rent of $1,926.

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

Nearby New Hampshire cities with lower median rent include Manchester ($1,924/mo), Manchester ($1,917/mo), Hampton ($1,916/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a waiter or waitress salary.

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