Can A Truck Driver Afford Rent in Dayton, TN?

Comfortably affordable — rent takes 18.7% of gross income.

Dayton rent: January 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Tennessee state estimate).

Dayton median rent
$815/mo
Truck Driver salary (Tennessee)
$52,173/yr
Rent as % of income
18.7%
Gross monthly income works out to about $4,348, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,304/mo in rent. Dayton's median rent of $815 leaves roughly $489/mo of headroom under that threshold. A truck driver works roughly 32.5 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 Dayton, which improves the affordability math on a truck driver salary:

Dyersburg, TN
$812/mo (18.7% of income)
Dyersburg, TN
$781/mo (18% of income)
Dyersburg, TN
$768/mo (17.7% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Dayton

View full rent data for Dayton, TN

Frequently asked questions

Can a truck driver afford rent in Dayton, TN?

Median rent in Dayton is $815 a month. A typical truck driver in Tennessee earns about $52,173 a year, which makes that rent 18.7% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is yes.

How much rent can a truck driver afford in Dayton?

Using the 30% rule, a truck driver salary in Tennessee (~$52,173/yr) supports up to $1,304 a month in rent. Dayton's current median rent is $815/mo, which leaves a $489/mo buffer.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $25 an hour, a truck driver in Tennessee works roughly 32.5 hours a month to cover Dayton's median rent of $815.

Where is rent cheaper than Dayton for a truck driver?

Nearby Tennessee cities with lower median rent include Dyersburg ($812/mo), Dyersburg ($781/mo), Dyersburg ($768/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 Dayton, TN. Affordability applies the 30% rule (rent ≤ 30% of gross income). Real take-home varies with taxes, household composition, overtime, tips, and benefits.