Reporting
In the Spring of 2024 I am taking a Reporting class to further my skill set and become more comfortable relaying data and information to public audiences.
Rent costs increased by an average of 16% across Rutherford County in 2024
High rent costs leave many college students feeling that they must choose between a quality college education or living on their own.
Over the last 12 months rent prices across Rutherford County have risen. Some studio apartments have risen close to $400 a month compared to 2023 costs. According to financial experts who claim that one's rent should not exceed above 30% of their total income, renters will need to be making an average of $29 per hour to afford the uptick. While this sounds doable to some, imagine making that kind of money without a college degree or working 40+ hours a week to afford rent on top of going to school full time.
Kylie Vaughn, a third-year exercise science major at MTSU, said the price of rent changed her college plans. In particular, she chose to live with her parents while attending classes instead of living on her own.
“Had you told me when I graduated high school that I would be working 25+ hours a week, taking 18 hours of classes each semester, and still living with my parents I probably would have said you were crazy, “ Vaughn said. “The way rent prices are now there is no way I can afford a place on my own without a full-time job that pays better and that just isn’t super realistic right now with my class load.”
Fellow student Connor Newberg, is in his final semester at MTSU and facing similar issues.
“I think now days our generation is faced with bigger financial issues than any previous generation because it’s not just rent that has gone up, it’s everything,” Newberg said. “We’re having to make sacrifices and reprioritize our lives just for any sense of financial stability.”
Vaughn and Newberg are just two of thousands of college students calling Rutherford County home faced with similar issues. Right now, the cheapest studio apartment in Rutherford County is $1180 a month while the highest is $1660. While Vaughn and Newberg were both fortunate enough to have other options, that is not the case for many. The search for affordable renting occurs daily in Rutherford County and likely always will.
While Vaughn and Newberg were both fortunate enough to have other options, that is not the case for many. The search for affordable renting occurs daily in Rutherford County and likely always will.