Can A Waiter or Waitress Afford Rent in Barre, VT?

Rent-burdened — rent takes 50.2% of gross income.

Barre rent: June 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Vermont state estimate).

Barre median rent
$1,483/mo
Waiter or Waitress salary (Vermont)
$35,434/yr
Rent as % of income
50.2%
Gross monthly income works out to about $2,953, and the 30% rule supports up to $886/mo in rent. Barre's median rent of $1,483 exceeds that threshold by $597/mo, putting a waiter or waitress salary into the rent-burdened range here. A waiter or waitress works roughly 87.1 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 Vermont cities have lower median rent than Barre, which improves the affordability math on a waiter or waitress salary:

Bennington, VT
$1,388/mo (47% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Barre

View full rent data for Barre, VT

Frequently asked questions

Can a waiter or waitress afford rent in Barre, VT?

Median rent in Barre is $1,483 a month. A typical waiter or waitress in Vermont earns about $35,434 a year, which makes that rent 50.2% 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 Barre?

Using the 30% rule, a waiter or waitress salary in Vermont (~$35,434/yr) supports up to $886 a month in rent. Barre's current median rent is $1,483/mo, which is $597/mo over the affordability threshold.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $17 an hour, a waiter or waitress in Vermont works roughly 87.1 hours a month to cover Barre's median rent of $1,483.

Where is rent cheaper than Barre for a waiter or waitress?

Nearby Vermont cities with lower median rent include Bennington ($1,388/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a waiter or waitress salary.

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