Can A Waiter or Waitress Afford Rent in Grove City, OH?

Rent-burdened — rent takes 57.5% of gross income.

Grove City rent: June 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Ohio state estimate).

Grove City median rent
$1,646/mo
Waiter or Waitress salary (Ohio)
$34,338/yr
Rent as % of income
57.5%
Gross monthly income works out to about $2,862, and the 30% rule supports up to $858/mo in rent. Grove City's median rent of $1,646 exceeds that threshold by $788/mo, putting a waiter or waitress salary into the rent-burdened range here. A waiter or waitress works roughly 99.7 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 Ohio cities have lower median rent than Grove City, which improves the affordability math on a waiter or waitress salary:

Westerville, OH
$1,645/mo (57.5% of income)
Stow, OH
$1,641/mo (57.3% of income)
Oxford, OH
$1,640/mo (57.3% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Grove City

View full rent data for Grove City, OH

Frequently asked questions

Can a waiter or waitress afford rent in Grove City, OH?

Median rent in Grove City is $1,646 a month. A typical waiter or waitress in Ohio earns about $34,338 a year, which makes that rent 57.5% 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 Grove City?

Using the 30% rule, a waiter or waitress salary in Ohio (~$34,338/yr) supports up to $858 a month in rent. Grove City's current median rent is $1,646/mo, which is $788/mo over the affordability threshold.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $17 an hour, a waiter or waitress in Ohio works roughly 99.7 hours a month to cover Grove City's median rent of $1,646.

Where is rent cheaper than Grove City for a waiter or waitress?

Nearby Ohio cities with lower median rent include Westerville ($1,645/mo), Stow ($1,641/mo), Oxford ($1,640/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a waiter or waitress salary.

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