Los Angeles: what paychecks leave after rent
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA metro area: 6,271,560 jobs, median pay of $55,850 across all occupations, and a $2,402 one-bedroom Fair Market Rent.
The typical worker in Los Angeles, earning the all-occupations median of $55,850, takes home about $3,921 a month after federal taxes. A one-bedroom at HUD's Fair Market Rent would take 61% of that. The median wage is 0.58× the income needed to keep that rent at 30% of gross pay, which falls short of the guideline.
Of the 10 jobs covered here, software developers have the most room (24% of take-home on a 1BR). Retail Salespersons are the most squeezed (89%).
Census figures add context: the ACS 2020–2024 5-year median gross rent paid by all renter households in the metro was $2,063 (±$6), and median household income was $95,958 (±$378).
Rent share of take-home pay, by job
All jobs in Los Angeles
| Job | Median pay | Take-home / mo | Hours of work | 1BR share | Left after 1BR | Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Software Developer | $160,920 | $10,105 | 31.0 h | 24% | $7,703 | 1.68× |
| Registered Nurse | $135,560 | $8,660 | 36.9 h | 28% | $6,258 | 1.41× |
| Police Officer | $121,980 | $7,887 | 41.0 h | 30% | $5,485 | 1.27× |
| Elementary School Teacher | $101,860 | $6,707 | — h | 36% | $4,305 | 1.06× |
| Accountant or Auditor | $94,360 | $6,268 | 53.0 h | 38% | $3,866 | 0.98× |
| Electrician | $73,810 | $5,063 | 67.7 h | 47% | $2,661 | 0.77× |
| Truck Driver | $60,340 | $4,222 | 82.8 h | 57% | $1,820 | 0.63× |
| Medical Assistant | $47,760 | $3,380 | 104.6 h | 71% | $978 | 0.50× |
| Fast Food Worker | $42,110 | $3,001 | 118.7 h | 80% | $599 | 0.44× |
| Retail Salesperson | $37,700 | $2,706 | 132.5 h | 89% | $304 | 0.39× |
HUD rent areas in this metro
| HUD FMR area | Population | 1BR | 2BR |
|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale, CA HUD Metro FMR Area | 9,808,667 | $2,402 | $2,964 |
| Santa Ana-Anaheim-Irvine, CA HUD Metro FMR Area | 3,165,820 | $2,610 | $3,057 |
HUD splits this metro into several rent areas. Highlighted is the most populous one, which this site uses for every comparison.
Sources & method
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 — metropolitan areas — vintage: May 2025 estimates. File:
oesm25ma.zip, retrieved 2026-10-06. - U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD USER), Fair Market Rents, FY2027 — vintage: FY2027 (effective Oct 1, 2026). File:
FY27_FMRs.xlsx, retrieved 2026-10-05. - U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates: Median gross rent (B25064) — vintage: ACS 2020–2024 5-year. File:
acsdt5y2024-b25064.dat, retrieved 2026-10-05. - U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates: Median household income (B19013) — vintage: ACS 2020–2024 5-year. File:
acsdt5y2024-b19013.dat, retrieved 2026-10-05. - Internal Revenue Service, Rev. Proc. 2025-32 (tax year 2026 brackets, $16,100 standard deduction) and SSA's $184,500 wage base, used for the take-home estimate.
Take-home = annual wage − 2026 federal income tax (single filer, standard deduction) − Social Security and Medicare. State and local income taxes are not deducted. Wages are May 2025 estimates; rents are HUD Fair Market Rents FY2027 (effective Oct 1, 2026). Full details on the methodology page. Page data last rebuilt 2026-10-06.