If you're in town, I would say it might be more trouble than it's worth. You'd want to dedicate a decent sized area for them, including a run. Could be a part of a larger garden area. Don't buy the ripoff tiny "coops" they sell, just build something yourself. If you feed them only store bought feed, you generally won't be money ahead (current times being the exception), but the quality is still much better.
We currently have a dozen layers on about four acres. Add three or four chicks every spring to keep their ages staggered and the production decent. Free range them all day except the worst parts of winter. That plus feeding them any garden or kitchen scraps we can keep the cost down, and the egg quality is that much better. They are total omnivores and will eat things you never would expect--tons of insects, mice/voles, even snakes. They're tiny dinosaurs basically. They will also dig and scratch in your beds if you don't keep them contained--we put rock down in the landscaping to address that issue. Love having them around the place though. Pretty entertaining at times. Occasionally lose one to old age or a raccoon, eliminate raccoon with prejudice, rinse and repeat.
My rough estimate is each dozen costs us about $3.00, but the quality is incomparable to even the organic eggs in the store. We got up to over 40 at one time and we're selling eggs to the point of making a decent little profit over feed costs, but got to be too much. Depending on your setup, they are generally daily, but very minimal, work. We regularly leave for long weekends without any help, but they have a good sized converted loafing shed for shelter with large feeders and water buckets with nipples, which keeps the water clean. I deep litter the bedding and clean only twice per year. That becomes the best damn garden fertilizer you can get.
It's worth trying if you have decent space, but I would start small and invest slowly at first to see if you like it. Chick days are just about starting at most farm stores now.
