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Can You Afford a 2-Bedroom in Pennsylvania? The Salary Math.

We use a 2-bedroom HUD Fair Market Rent of $1,351/month as a proxy for the 2-bedroom in Pennsylvania. To keep rent under 30% of take-home, you need at least $68,000/year before taxes.Pennsylvania is a statewide aggregate. Showing the state-level 2-bedroom Fair Market Rent of $1,351/month as a proxy for the 2-bedroom.

Pennsylvania is a statewide aggregate. Showing the state-level 2-bedroom Fair Market Rent of $1,351/month as a proxy for the 2-bedroom.

Salary thresholds at the HUD FMR of $1,351/month

Rent burden based on estimated take-home after federal, state, and FICA taxes (single filer). Verdict uses 30% rule.

PercentileAnnual salaryMonthly take-homeRent burdenVerdict
Entry-level (10th pct.)$41,040$2,81348%Too much
Early career (25th pct.)$51,800$3,50638.5%Stretch
Median$59,880$4,02633.6%Stretch
Experienced (75th pct.)$77,480$5,04326.8%OK
Top earners (90th pct.)$84,230$5,42124.9%Comfortable

Verdict guide: Comfortable <25% | OK 25-30% | Stretch 30-40% | Too much >40%

Jobs that pay enough to afford a 2-Bedroom in Pennsylvania

These occupations have median salaries that keep rent under 30% of take-home.

Extraction Workers, All Other
$79,520/yr median
Loading and Moving Machine Operators, Underground Mining
$75,240/yr median
Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters
$84,400/yr median
Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons
$553,740/yr median
Designers, All Other
$72,760/yr median
Judges, Magistrate Judges, and Magistrates
$110,580/yr median
Agricultural Engineers
$80,300/yr median
Reinforcing Iron and Rebar Workers
$74,670/yr median

Keep exploring Pennsylvania

Top paying jobs in PennsylvaniaCost of living in PennsylvaniaCan you afford a 1-bedroom?Can you afford a 3-bedroom?

Frequently asked questions

What salary do you need to afford a 2-bedroom in Pennsylvania?
You need roughly $68,000/year gross to keep a 2-bedroom at $1,351/month under the 30% rent burden threshold. That uses current federal and PA state tax brackets with FICA, assuming single filing and the standard deduction.
How much is the HUD Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom in Pennsylvania?
HUD publishes Fair Market Rents at the metro level, not for Pennsylvania as a whole. We use the statewide 2-bedroom Fair Market Rent of $1,351/month as a proxy.
Is Pennsylvania expensive for renters?
Pennsylvania is below the national average in cost. A 2-bedroom at the HUD FMR of $1,351/month is more manageable here than in most metros.
What percentage of income should go to rent?
The standard guideline is 30% of your gross monthly income before taxes. Go above that and you risk being "rent-burdened," which the Census Bureau defines as spending more than 30% of income on housing costs. Budget carefully if your rent burden sits above 40%.
Which jobs pay enough to afford rent in Pennsylvania?
The following occupations in Pennsylvania have median salaries that keep 2-bedroom rent under 30% of take-home pay: Extraction Workers, All Other, Loading and Moving Machine Operators, Underground Mining, Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters, Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons, Designers, All Other, Judges, Magistrate Judges, and Magistrates, Agricultural Engineers, Reinforcing Iron and Rebar Workers.

Source data is published by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and other federal agencies. AffordMap is not affiliated with or endorsed by any government agency. Per BLS policy, "BLS.gov cannot vouch for the data or analyses derived from these data after the data have been retrieved from BLS.gov."

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