In These Markets, You’ll Earn Enough to Cover Rent—and Then Some

Reasonable rent and a solid-paying job? Dream on…right?

According to a recent analysis by LinkedIn and Zillow, there are dream markets for renters—if their field of choice is finance, healthcare or technology.

The analysis identified markets where renters earn in excess of the necessary income to support costs of living, taking into account indicators such as “labor market velocity,” “job listings,” “salaries,” and “rental housing costs.”

By sector, renters have the most left over in:

Finance

1. Charlotte, N.C.
   Disposable Income: $3,793 (51.2 percent)

2. Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas
   Disposable Income: $3,597 (53.4 percent)

3. Phoenix, Ariz.
   Disposable Income: $3,249 (50.6 percent)

4. Boston, Mass.
   Disposable Income: $3,198 (41.7 percent)

5. Chicago, Ill.
   Disposable Income: $3,453 (48.8 percent)

Healthcare

1. Phoenix, Ariz.
   Disposable Income: $3,793 (52. 1 percent)

2. Indianapolis, Ind.
   Disposable Income: $3,111 (53.7 percent)

3. Boston, Mass.
   Disposable Income: $2,861 (40.1 percent)

4. Denver, Colo.
   Disposable Income: $2,580 (40.5 percent)

5. Austin, Texas
   Disposable Income: $2,846 (48.7 percent)
   

Technology

1. Seattle, Wash.
   Disposable Income: $5,493 (54.3 percent)

2. Austin, Texas
   Disposable Income: $4,336 (53.8 percent)

3. Pittsburgh, Pa.
   Disposable Income: $3,681 (56.4 percent)
   

4. San Francisco Bay, Calif.
   Disposable Income: $3,964 (35.6 percent)

5. Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas
   Disposable Income: $4,121 (54.9 percent)

Four markets—Austin, Boston, Dallas/Fort Worth and Phoenix—rank in the top five in all three sectors. Austin makes a showing in both healthcare and technology, but ranks higher for healthcare, while Boston boasts for healthcare and finance, but also ranks higher for healthcare. Dallas/Fort Worth has opportunities in finance and technology, ranking higher for finance, and Phoenix’s prospects are in finance and healthcare, ranking higher for healthcare.

“High demand and inventory shortages have driven up housing prices in some markets so much that even if you land a great job, the salary might not cover living within commuting distance,” says Dr. Svenja Gudell, chief economist at Zillow. “On the other hand, the nation’s most affordable housing markets don’t always offer plentiful employment opportunities. Housing is the biggest line item in most people’s budgets, so we did the math for you and found ‘sweet spots’—places with great job markets and housing markets that will leave you with some cash at the end of the month.”

For more information, please visit www.zillow.com.

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