Can A Waiter or Waitress Afford Rent in Great Neck, NY?
Rent-burdened — rent takes 141.4% of gross income.
Great Neck rent: June 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (New York 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.
Cheaper rent nearby
These New York cities have lower median rent than Great Neck, which improves the affordability math on a waiter or waitress salary:
Compare with full rent data for Great Neck
View full rent data for Great Neck, NY →Frequently asked questions
Can a waiter or waitress afford rent in Great Neck, NY?
Median rent in Great Neck is $4,908 a month. A typical waiter or waitress in New York earns about $41,644 a year, which makes that rent 141.4% 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 Great Neck?
Using the 30% rule, a waiter or waitress salary in New York (~$41,644/yr) supports up to $1,041 a month in rent. Great Neck's current median rent is $4,908/mo, which is $3,867/mo over the affordability threshold.
How many hours does a waiter or waitress work to cover rent in Great Neck?
At an hourly equivalent of about $20 an hour, a waiter or waitress in New York works roughly 245.1 hours a month to cover Great Neck's median rent of $4,908.
Where is rent cheaper than Great Neck for a waiter or waitress?
Nearby New York cities with lower median rent include Harrison ($4,858/mo), Scarsdale ($4,689/mo), Sleepy Hollow ($4,650/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a waiter or waitress salary.