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

Rent-burdened — rent takes 49.3% of gross income.

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

Greenfield median rent
$1,425/mo
Waiter or Waitress salary (Wisconsin)
$34,704/yr
Rent as % of income
49.3%
Gross monthly income works out to about $2,892, and the 30% rule supports up to $868/mo in rent. Greenfield's median rent of $1,425 exceeds that threshold by $557/mo, putting a waiter or waitress salary into the rent-burdened range here. A waiter or waitress works roughly 85.4 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 Greenfield, which improves the affordability math on a waiter or waitress salary:

Superior, WI
$1,424/mo (49.2% of income)
Waukesha, WI
$1,419/mo (49.1% of income)
Waukesha, WI
$1,412/mo (48.8% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Greenfield

View full rent data for Greenfield, WI

Frequently asked questions

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

Median rent in Greenfield is $1,425 a month. A typical waiter or waitress in Wisconsin earns about $34,704 a year, which makes that rent 49.3% 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 Greenfield?

Using the 30% rule, a waiter or waitress salary in Wisconsin (~$34,704/yr) supports up to $868 a month in rent. Greenfield's current median rent is $1,425/mo, which is $557/mo over the affordability threshold.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $17 an hour, a waiter or waitress in Wisconsin works roughly 85.4 hours a month to cover Greenfield's median rent of $1,425.

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

Nearby Wisconsin cities with lower median rent include Superior ($1,424/mo), Waukesha ($1,419/mo), Waukesha ($1,412/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 Greenfield, WI. Affordability applies the 30% rule (rent ≤ 30% of gross income). Real take-home varies with taxes, household composition, overtime, tips, and benefits.