How much rent can you afford in Bedford, MA?
Run your salary against Bedford's current rent, or find the income you'd need for a target rent. Powered by live RentDataNow medians.
The 30% rent rule, in Bedford
At a median rent of $3,107/mo, Bedford is moderately stretched when measured against Massachusetts median income of $99,858/yr. Rent would consume roughly 37% of pre-tax income, and a salary of about $124,280 keeps rent at the recommended 30% threshold.
Based on Massachusetts median income. Bedford-specific income data isn't available yet, so state-level medians are used as a proxy.
How Bedford compares nearby
Median rent for the closest cities with data.
Frequently asked
How much rent can I afford in Bedford?
On a $99,858 salary (the Massachusetts median income), the recommended ceiling is 30% of pre-tax income, or about $2,496/mo. Bedford's median rent is $3,107/mo. Use the calculator on this page to run your own salary.
What salary do I need to live in Bedford?
To keep Bedford's $3,107/mo median rent under 30% of income, you'd need about $124,280/yr. Lower your target share (e.g. 25%) to need more, or raise it (e.g. 40%) to need less.
Is Bedford affordable on the median Massachusetts income?
Bedford is moderately stretched on a $99,858 income. Rent would take 37% of pre-tax pay, outside the recommended 30% threshold.
What's the 30% rent rule?
The 30% rule is a long-standing budgeting guideline that keeps rent at or below 30% of gross (pre-tax) income. It leaves enough room for utilities, transit, savings, and debt service. In high-cost markets, many renters exceed 30%, and the Census Bureau classifies households paying more than 30% of income on rent as "cost-burdened".