Can A Truck Driver Afford Rent in Cleveland, TN?

Stretched but workable — rent takes 33.1% of gross income.

Cleveland rent: June 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Tennessee state estimate).

Cleveland median rent
$1,439/mo
Truck Driver salary (Tennessee)
$52,173/yr
Rent as % of income
33.1%
Gross monthly income works out to about $4,348, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,304/mo in rent. Cleveland's median rent of $1,439 exceeds that threshold by $135/mo, putting a truck driver salary into the rent-burdened range here. A truck driver works roughly 57.4 hours a month to cover that rent.

About rent and a truck driver salary

Truck driver pay covers comfortable rent in most lower- and mid-cost US metros and stretches thin in the highest-cost ones. Because many drivers can base anywhere along their route, the home-city rent decision has an outsized effect on take-home. At the national-average driver salary, the 30% rule supports about $1,418 a month in rent. The per-city pages show which markets keep rent within that range and which push it out of reach.

Cheaper rent nearby

These Tennessee cities have lower median rent than Cleveland, which improves the affordability math on a truck driver salary:

Morristown, TN
$1,434/mo (33% of income)
Morristown, TN
$1,429/mo (32.9% of income)
Columbia, TN
$1,428/mo (32.8% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Cleveland

View full rent data for Cleveland, TN

Frequently asked questions

Can a truck driver afford rent in Cleveland, TN?

Median rent in Cleveland is $1,439 a month. A typical truck driver in Tennessee earns about $52,173 a year, which makes that rent 33.1% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is no — rent exceeds the 30% threshold.

How much rent can a truck driver afford in Cleveland?

Using the 30% rule, a truck driver salary in Tennessee (~$52,173/yr) supports up to $1,304 a month in rent. Cleveland's current median rent is $1,439/mo, which is $135/mo over the affordability threshold.

How many hours does a truck driver work to cover rent in Cleveland?

At an hourly equivalent of about $25 an hour, a truck driver in Tennessee works roughly 57.4 hours a month to cover Cleveland's median rent of $1,439.

Where is rent cheaper than Cleveland for a truck driver?

Nearby Tennessee cities with lower median rent include Morristown ($1,434/mo), Morristown ($1,429/mo), Columbia ($1,428/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a truck driver salary.

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