Can A Waiter or Waitress Afford Rent in Portsmouth, VA?
Rent-burdened — rent takes 51.5% of gross income.
Portsmouth rent: July 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 Portsmouth, which improves the affordability math on a waiter or waitress salary:
Compare with full rent data for Portsmouth
View full rent data for Portsmouth, VA →Frequently asked questions
Can a waiter or waitress afford rent in Portsmouth, VA?
Median rent in Portsmouth is $1,599 a month. A typical waiter or waitress in Virginia earns about $37,261 a year, which makes that rent 51.5% 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 Portsmouth?
Using the 30% rule, a waiter or waitress salary in Virginia (~$37,261/yr) supports up to $932 a month in rent. Portsmouth's current median rent is $1,599/mo, which is $667/mo over the affordability threshold.
How many hours does a waiter or waitress work to cover rent in Portsmouth?
At an hourly equivalent of about $18 an hour, a waiter or waitress in Virginia works roughly 89.3 hours a month to cover Portsmouth's median rent of $1,599.
Where is rent cheaper than Portsmouth for a waiter or waitress?
Nearby Virginia cities with lower median rent include Highland Springs ($1,598/mo), Newport News ($1,596/mo), Powhatan ($1,595/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a waiter or waitress salary.