Miami: what paychecks leave after rent
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL metro area: 2,819,940 jobs, median pay of $48,640 across all occupations, and a $2,121 one-bedroom Fair Market Rent.
The typical worker in Miami, earning the all-occupations median of $48,640, takes home about $3,439 a month after federal taxes. A one-bedroom at HUD's Fair Market Rent would take 62% of that. The median wage is 0.57× 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 (25% of take-home on a 1BR). Fast Food and Counter Workers are the most squeezed (98%).
Census figures add context: the ACS 2020–2024 5-year median gross rent paid by all renter households in the metro was $1,869 (±$7), and median household income was $76,527 (±$576).
Rent share of take-home pay, by job
All jobs in Miami
| Job | Median pay | Take-home / mo | Hours of work | 1BR share | Left after 1BR | Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Software Developer | $132,650 | $8,494 | 33.3 h | 25% | $6,373 | 1.56× |
| Registered Nurse | $91,380 | $6,093 | 48.3 h | 35% | $3,972 | 1.08× |
| Accountant or Auditor | $80,920 | $5,480 | 54.5 h | 39% | $3,359 | 0.95× |
| Police Officer | $79,840 | $5,416 | 55.3 h | 39% | $3,295 | 0.94× |
| Electrician | $58,630 | $4,107 | 75.2 h | 52% | $1,986 | 0.69× |
| Elementary School Teacher | $58,300 | $4,085 | — h | 52% | $1,964 | 0.69× |
| Truck Driver | $51,580 | $3,635 | 85.5 h | 58% | $1,514 | 0.61× |
| Medical Assistant | $44,930 | $3,190 | 98.2 h | 66% | $1,069 | 0.53× |
| Retail Salesperson | $34,330 | $2,480 | 128.5 h | 86% | $359 | 0.41× |
| Fast Food Worker | $29,600 | $2,164 | 149.1 h | 98% | $43 | 0.35× |
HUD rent areas in this metro
| HUD FMR area | Population | 1BR | 2BR |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miami-Miami Beach-Kendall, FL HUD Metro FMR Area | 2,738,356 | $2,121 | $2,564 |
| Fort Lauderdale, FL HUD Metro FMR Area | 1,977,129 | $1,902 | $2,321 |
| West Palm Beach-Boca Raton, FL HUD Metro FMR Area | 1,533,806 | $2,008 | $2,349 |
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.