Can A Waiter or Waitress Afford Rent in Wilsonville, OR?

Rent-burdened — rent takes 56.7% of gross income.

Wilsonville rent: June 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Oregon state estimate).

Wilsonville median rent
$1,796/mo
Waiter or Waitress salary (Oregon)
$37,991/yr
Rent as % of income
56.7%
Gross monthly income works out to about $3,166, and the 30% rule supports up to $950/mo in rent. Wilsonville's median rent of $1,796 exceeds that threshold by $846/mo, putting a waiter or waitress salary into the rent-burdened range here. A waiter or waitress works roughly 98.3 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 Oregon cities have lower median rent than Wilsonville, which improves the affordability math on a waiter or waitress salary:

Milwaukie, OR
$1,795/mo (56.7% of income)
Milwaukie, OR
$1,794/mo (56.7% of income)
Keizer, OR
$1,794/mo (56.7% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Wilsonville

View full rent data for Wilsonville, OR

Frequently asked questions

Can a waiter or waitress afford rent in Wilsonville, OR?

Median rent in Wilsonville is $1,796 a month. A typical waiter or waitress in Oregon earns about $37,991 a year, which makes that rent 56.7% 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 Wilsonville?

Using the 30% rule, a waiter or waitress salary in Oregon (~$37,991/yr) supports up to $950 a month in rent. Wilsonville's current median rent is $1,796/mo, which is $846/mo over the affordability threshold.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $18 an hour, a waiter or waitress in Oregon works roughly 98.3 hours a month to cover Wilsonville's median rent of $1,796.

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

Nearby Oregon cities with lower median rent include Milwaukie ($1,795/mo), Milwaukie ($1,794/mo), Keizer ($1,794/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a waiter or waitress salary.

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