Can A Welder Afford Rent in Cookeville, TN?

Stretched but workable — rent takes 39.7% of gross income.

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

Cookeville median rent
$1,564/mo
Welder salary (Tennessee)
$47,297/yr
Rent as % of income
39.7%
Gross monthly income works out to about $3,941, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,182/mo in rent. Cookeville's median rent of $1,564 exceeds that threshold by $382/mo, putting a welder salary into the rent-burdened range here. A welder works roughly 68.8 hours a month to cover that rent.

About rent and a welder salary

Welder pay tracks the US median household income closely. Pipeline and underwater welders earn materially more. At the national-average welder salary, the 30% rule supports about $1,285 a month in rent.

Cheaper rent nearby

These Tennessee cities have lower median rent than Cookeville, which improves the affordability math on a welder salary:

Hendersonville, TN
$1,563/mo (39.7% of income)
Hendersonville, TN
$1,562/mo (39.6% of income)
Hendersonville, TN
$1,562/mo (39.6% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Cookeville

View full rent data for Cookeville, TN

Frequently asked questions

Can a welder afford rent in Cookeville, TN?

Median rent in Cookeville is $1,564 a month. A typical welder in Tennessee earns about $47,297 a year, which makes that rent 39.7% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is no — rent exceeds the 30% threshold.

How much rent can a welder afford in Cookeville?

Using the 30% rule, a welder salary in Tennessee (~$47,297/yr) supports up to $1,182 a month in rent. Cookeville's current median rent is $1,564/mo, which is $382/mo over the affordability threshold.

How many hours does a welder work to cover rent in Cookeville?

At an hourly equivalent of about $23 an hour, a welder in Tennessee works roughly 68.8 hours a month to cover Cookeville's median rent of $1,564.

Where is rent cheaper than Cookeville for a welder?

Nearby Tennessee cities with lower median rent include Hendersonville ($1,563/mo), Hendersonville ($1,562/mo), Hendersonville ($1,562/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a welder salary.

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