Can A Waiter or Waitress Afford Rent in Colonial Heights, VA?
Rent-burdened — rent takes 54.4% of gross income.
Colonial Heights rent: June 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Virginia 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 Virginia cities have lower median rent than Colonial Heights, which improves the affordability math on a waiter or waitress salary:
Compare with full rent data for Colonial Heights
View full rent data for Colonial Heights, VA →Frequently asked questions
Can a waiter or waitress afford rent in Colonial Heights, VA?
Median rent in Colonial Heights is $1,690 a month. A typical waiter or waitress in Virginia earns about $37,261 a year, which makes that rent 54.4% 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 Colonial Heights?
Using the 30% rule, a waiter or waitress salary in Virginia (~$37,261/yr) supports up to $932 a month in rent. Colonial Heights's current median rent is $1,690/mo, which is $758/mo over the affordability threshold.
How many hours does a waiter or waitress work to cover rent in Colonial Heights?
At an hourly equivalent of about $18 an hour, a waiter or waitress in Virginia works roughly 94.3 hours a month to cover Colonial Heights's median rent of $1,690.
Where is rent cheaper than Colonial Heights for a waiter or waitress?
Nearby Virginia cities with lower median rent include Woodbridge ($1,689/mo), Richmond ($1,687/mo), Harrisonburg ($1,686/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a waiter or waitress salary.