Riverside–San Bernardino: what paychecks leave after rent
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA metro area: 1,716,760 jobs, median pay of $48,400 across all occupations, and a $1,705 one-bedroom Fair Market Rent.
The typical worker in Riverside–San Bernardino, earning the all-occupations median of $48,400, takes home about $3,422 a month after federal taxes. A one-bedroom at HUD's Fair Market Rent would take 50% of that. The median wage is 0.71× the income needed to keep that rent at 30% of gross pay, which falls short of the guideline.
Of the 10 jobs covered here, registered nurses have the most room (20% of take-home on a 1BR). Retail Salespersons are the most squeezed (65%).
Census figures add context: the ACS 2020–2024 5-year median gross rent paid by all renter households in the metro was $1,846 (±$10), and median household income was $89,662 (±$787).
Rent share of take-home pay, by job
All jobs in Riverside–San Bernardino
| Job | Median pay | Take-home / mo | Hours of work | 1BR share | Left after 1BR | Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Registered Nurse | $133,940 | $8,568 | 26.5 h | 20% | $6,863 | 1.96× |
| Software Developer | $133,270 | $8,530 | 26.6 h | 20% | $6,825 | 1.95× |
| Police Officer | $101,870 | $6,708 | 34.8 h | 25% | $5,003 | 1.49× |
| Elementary School Teacher | $98,520 | $6,512 | — h | 26% | $4,807 | 1.45× |
| Accountant or Auditor | $83,920 | $5,656 | 42.3 h | 30% | $3,951 | 1.23× |
| Electrician | $72,790 | $5,003 | 48.7 h | 34% | $3,298 | 1.07× |
| Truck Driver | $60,580 | $4,238 | 58.5 h | 40% | $2,533 | 0.89× |
| Medical Assistant | $46,700 | $3,309 | 75.9 h | 52% | $1,604 | 0.69× |
| Fast Food Worker | $42,280 | $3,013 | 83.9 h | 57% | $1,308 | 0.62× |
| Retail Salesperson | $36,720 | $2,640 | 96.5 h | 65% | $935 | 0.54× |
HUD rent areas in this metro
| HUD FMR area | Population | 1BR | 2BR |
|---|---|---|---|
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA MSA | 4,675,704 | $1,705 | $2,103 |
HUD treats the whole metro as one rent area.
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.