Can A Waiter or Waitress Afford Rent in Dickson, TN?
Rent-burdened — rent takes 56.2% of gross income.
Dickson rent: July 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Tennessee 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 Tennessee cities have lower median rent than Dickson, which improves the affordability math on a waiter or waitress salary:
Compare with full rent data for Dickson
View full rent data for Dickson, TN →Frequently asked questions
Can a waiter or waitress afford rent in Dickson, TN?
Median rent in Dickson is $1,574 a month. A typical waiter or waitress in Tennessee earns about $33,608 a year, which makes that rent 56.2% 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 Dickson?
Using the 30% rule, a waiter or waitress salary in Tennessee (~$33,608/yr) supports up to $840 a month in rent. Dickson's current median rent is $1,574/mo, which is $734/mo over the affordability threshold.
How many hours does a waiter or waitress work to cover rent in Dickson?
At an hourly equivalent of about $16 an hour, a waiter or waitress in Tennessee works roughly 97.4 hours a month to cover Dickson's median rent of $1,574.
Where is rent cheaper than Dickson for a waiter or waitress?
Nearby Tennessee cities with lower median rent include Tullahoma ($1,573/mo), Hendersonville ($1,572/mo), Millington ($1,572/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a waiter or waitress salary.