Can A Waiter or Waitress Afford Rent in Saint Francis, WI?

Rent-burdened — rent takes 62.3% of gross income.

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

Saint Francis median rent
$1,803/mo
Waiter or Waitress salary (Wisconsin)
$34,704/yr
Rent as % of income
62.3%
Gross monthly income works out to about $2,892, and the 30% rule supports up to $868/mo in rent. Saint Francis's median rent of $1,803 exceeds that threshold by $935/mo, putting a waiter or waitress salary into the rent-burdened range here. A waiter or waitress works roughly 108.1 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 Saint Francis, which improves the affordability math on a waiter or waitress salary:

Oak Creek, WI
$1,801/mo (62.3% of income)
Oak Creek, WI
$1,799/mo (62.2% of income)
Fitchburg, WI
$1,798/mo (62.2% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Saint Francis

View full rent data for Saint Francis, WI

Frequently asked questions

Can a waiter or waitress afford rent in Saint Francis, WI?

Median rent in Saint Francis is $1,803 a month. A typical waiter or waitress in Wisconsin earns about $34,704 a year, which makes that rent 62.3% 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 Saint Francis?

Using the 30% rule, a waiter or waitress salary in Wisconsin (~$34,704/yr) supports up to $868 a month in rent. Saint Francis's current median rent is $1,803/mo, which is $935/mo over the affordability threshold.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $17 an hour, a waiter or waitress in Wisconsin works roughly 108.1 hours a month to cover Saint Francis's median rent of $1,803.

Where is rent cheaper than Saint Francis for a waiter or waitress?

Nearby Wisconsin cities with lower median rent include Oak Creek ($1,801/mo), Oak Creek ($1,799/mo), Fitchburg ($1,798/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 Saint Francis, WI. Affordability applies the 30% rule (rent ≤ 30% of gross income). Real take-home varies with taxes, household composition, overtime, tips, and benefits.