How Travel Nurse Housing Stipends Work (And How to Make Yours Go Further)

Your travel nursing contract comes with a housing stipend — tax-free money to cover your living costs on assignment. But most travel nurses don't fully understand how it works, which means many leave hundreds of dollars on the table every week.

Here's a practical breakdown.

What Is a Housing Stipend?

A housing stipend is a non-taxable reimbursement your travel nursing agency pays you to cover housing costs on assignment. Unlike your taxable base pay, the stipend doesn't go through withholding — which means more of it lands in your bank account.

Key rule: To receive a non-taxable stipend, you must maintain a tax home — a permanent residence where you regularly live and return to. If you can't demonstrate a tax home, the IRS may treat your stipend as taxable income.

How Much Is the Stipend?

Stipend amounts are based on the GSA (General Services Administration) per diem rates for each city. These rates vary significantly:

Market	Typical GSA Housing Rate
Dallas, TX	$120–$160/night
Flint, MI	$90–$110/night
Newark, DE	$130–$160/night

A 13-week contract (91 nights) in Dallas at $140/night = $12,740 in housing stipend.

Where Most Nurses Leave Money Behind

The most common mistake: spending the full stipend on housing without shopping for value. If your stipend is $12,740 and you find furnished housing for $3,200/month (about $105/night), you keep the difference.

What to look for in furnished housing:

• All-inclusive pricing (utilities, WiFi, furniture already counted)
• In-unit or on-site laundry
• Full kitchen (so you're not spending stipend money on takeout)
• Proximity to your hospital (saves gas, saves time)

Why Furnished Homes Beat Hotels for Stipend Value

A furnished apartment at $3,000–$3,500/month typically includes everything a hotel room gives you — plus a real kitchen, more space, in-unit laundry, and no hotel-fatigue by week three.

For context: a moderately priced extended-stay hotel in Dallas runs $120–$180/night — often consuming your entire stipend with nothing left over.

UCS Homes Locations for Travel Nurses

• Flint, MI — Near McLaren Flint and Hurley Medical Center
• DeSoto, TX (Dallas Metro) — Near Medical City Dallas and Baylor University Medical Center
• Newark, DE — Near Christiana Care (Christiana Hospital)

All properties are furnished, utilities-inclusive, and priced to work within standard stipend rates for each market.

The Bottom Line

Your stipend is designed to give you flexibility. The nurses who get the most out of it find quality furnished housing below the stipend ceiling, keep the difference, and treat the assignment like the financial opportunity it is.

Questions about a specific market? Contact us and we'll show you exactly what the numbers look like for your next assignment.