Can A Waiter or Waitress Afford Rent in Dyersburg, TN?

Comfortably affordable — rent takes 27% of gross income.

Dyersburg rent: June 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Tennessee state estimate).

Dyersburg median rent
$757/mo
Waiter or Waitress salary (Tennessee)
$33,608/yr
Rent as % of income
27%
Gross monthly income works out to about $2,801, and the 30% rule supports up to $840/mo in rent. Dyersburg's median rent of $757 leaves roughly $83/mo of headroom under that threshold. A waiter or waitress works roughly 46.9 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.

Compare with full rent data for Dyersburg

View full rent data for Dyersburg, TN

Frequently asked questions

Can a waiter or waitress afford rent in Dyersburg, TN?

Median rent in Dyersburg is $757 a month. A typical waiter or waitress in Tennessee earns about $33,608 a year, which makes that rent 27% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is yes.

How much rent can a waiter or waitress afford in Dyersburg?

Using the 30% rule, a waiter or waitress salary in Tennessee (~$33,608/yr) supports up to $840 a month in rent. Dyersburg's current median rent is $757/mo, which leaves a $83/mo buffer.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $16 an hour, a waiter or waitress in Tennessee works roughly 46.9 hours a month to cover Dyersburg's median rent of $757.

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