Can A Waiter or Waitress Afford Rent in La Vergne, TN?

Rent-burdened — rent takes 77.1% of gross income.

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

La Vergne median rent
$2,158/mo
Waiter or Waitress salary (Tennessee)
$33,608/yr
Rent as % of income
77.1%
Gross monthly income works out to about $2,801, and the 30% rule supports up to $840/mo in rent. La Vergne's median rent of $2,158 exceeds that threshold by $1,318/mo, putting a waiter or waitress salary into the rent-burdened range here. A waiter or waitress works roughly 133.6 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 Tennessee cities have lower median rent than La Vergne, which improves the affordability math on a waiter or waitress salary:

Ooltewah, TN
$2,156/mo (77% of income)
Oakland, TN
$2,155/mo (76.9% of income)
Harrison, TN
$2,145/mo (76.6% of income)

Compare with full rent data for La Vergne

View full rent data for La Vergne, TN

Frequently asked questions

Can a waiter or waitress afford rent in La Vergne, TN?

Median rent in La Vergne is $2,158 a month. A typical waiter or waitress in Tennessee earns about $33,608 a year, which makes that rent 77.1% 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 La Vergne?

Using the 30% rule, a waiter or waitress salary in Tennessee (~$33,608/yr) supports up to $840 a month in rent. La Vergne's current median rent is $2,158/mo, which is $1,318/mo over the affordability threshold.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $16 an hour, a waiter or waitress in Tennessee works roughly 133.6 hours a month to cover La Vergne's median rent of $2,158.

Where is rent cheaper than La Vergne for a waiter or waitress?

Nearby Tennessee cities with lower median rent include Ooltewah ($2,156/mo), Oakland ($2,155/mo), Harrison ($2,145/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a waiter or waitress salary.

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