Can A Waiter or Waitress Afford Rent in Cudahy, WI?

Rent-burdened — rent takes 47.9% of gross income.

Cudahy rent: June 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Wisconsin state estimate).

Cudahy median rent
$1,386/mo
Waiter or Waitress salary (Wisconsin)
$34,704/yr
Rent as % of income
47.9%
Gross monthly income works out to about $2,892, and the 30% rule supports up to $868/mo in rent. Cudahy's median rent of $1,386 exceeds that threshold by $518/mo, putting a waiter or waitress salary into the rent-burdened range here. A waiter or waitress works roughly 83.1 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 Wisconsin cities have lower median rent than Cudahy, which improves the affordability math on a waiter or waitress salary:

Onalaska, WI
$1,383/mo (47.8% of income)
Superior, WI
$1,383/mo (47.8% of income)
Milwaukee, WI
$1,379/mo (47.7% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Cudahy

View full rent data for Cudahy, WI

Frequently asked questions

Can a waiter or waitress afford rent in Cudahy, WI?

Median rent in Cudahy is $1,386 a month. A typical waiter or waitress in Wisconsin earns about $34,704 a year, which makes that rent 47.9% 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 Cudahy?

Using the 30% rule, a waiter or waitress salary in Wisconsin (~$34,704/yr) supports up to $868 a month in rent. Cudahy's current median rent is $1,386/mo, which is $518/mo over the affordability threshold.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $17 an hour, a waiter or waitress in Wisconsin works roughly 83.1 hours a month to cover Cudahy's median rent of $1,386.

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

Nearby Wisconsin cities with lower median rent include Onalaska ($1,383/mo), Superior ($1,383/mo), Milwaukee ($1,379/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a waiter or waitress salary.

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