Can A Waiter or Waitress Afford Rent in Jamestown, RI?
Rent-burdened — rent takes 110.6% of gross income.
Jamestown rent: June 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Rhode Island 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 Rhode Island cities have lower median rent than Jamestown, which improves the affordability math on a waiter or waitress salary:
Compare with full rent data for Jamestown
View full rent data for Jamestown, RI →Frequently asked questions
Can a waiter or waitress afford rent in Jamestown, RI?
Median rent in Jamestown is $3,500 a month. A typical waiter or waitress in Rhode Island earns about $37,991 a year, which makes that rent 110.6% 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 Jamestown?
Using the 30% rule, a waiter or waitress salary in Rhode Island (~$37,991/yr) supports up to $950 a month in rent. Jamestown's current median rent is $3,500/mo, which is $2,550/mo over the affordability threshold.
How many hours does a waiter or waitress work to cover rent in Jamestown?
At an hourly equivalent of about $18 an hour, a waiter or waitress in Rhode Island works roughly 191.6 hours a month to cover Jamestown's median rent of $3,500.
Where is rent cheaper than Jamestown for a waiter or waitress?
Nearby Rhode Island cities with lower median rent include Portsmouth ($3,378/mo), Portsmouth ($3,288/mo), Newport ($3,284/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a waiter or waitress salary.