Can A Bartender Afford Rent in Boxboro, MA?

Rent-burdened — rent takes 57.1% of gross income.

Boxboro rent: June 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Massachusetts state estimate).

Boxboro median rent
$1,938/mo
Bartender salary (Massachusetts)
$40,751/yr
Rent as % of income
57.1%
Gross monthly income works out to about $3,396, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,019/mo in rent. Boxboro's median rent of $1,938 exceeds that threshold by $919/mo, putting a bartender salary into the rent-burdened range here. A bartender works roughly 98.9 hours a month to cover that rent.

About rent and a bartender salary

Declared bartender pay sits below the rent threshold for a one-bedroom in most US cities. Actual tip income in high-volume bars and fine-dining can push real take-home substantially higher. At the national-average declared bartender salary, the 30% rule supports about $878 a month in rent.

Cheaper rent nearby

These Massachusetts cities have lower median rent than Boxboro, which improves the affordability math on a bartender salary:

New Bedford, MA
$1,935/mo (57% of income)
Westfield, MA
$1,934/mo (57% of income)
Westfield, MA
$1,929/mo (56.8% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Boxboro

View full rent data for Boxboro, MA

Frequently asked questions

Can a bartender afford rent in Boxboro, MA?

Median rent in Boxboro is $1,938 a month. A typical bartender in Massachusetts earns about $40,751 a year, which makes that rent 57.1% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is no — rent exceeds the 30% threshold.

How much rent can a bartender afford in Boxboro?

Using the 30% rule, a bartender salary in Massachusetts (~$40,751/yr) supports up to $1,019 a month in rent. Boxboro's current median rent is $1,938/mo, which is $919/mo over the affordability threshold.

How many hours does a bartender work to cover rent in Boxboro?

At an hourly equivalent of about $20 an hour, a bartender in Massachusetts works roughly 98.9 hours a month to cover Boxboro's median rent of $1,938.

Where is rent cheaper than Boxboro for a bartender?

Nearby Massachusetts cities with lower median rent include New Bedford ($1,935/mo), Westfield ($1,934/mo), Westfield ($1,929/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a bartender salary.

Methodology: Salary uses the BLS-derived Massachusetts state estimate from OEWS May 2024. Rent is the most recent ZORI monthly value for Boxboro, MA. Affordability applies the 30% rule (rent ≤ 30% of gross income). Real take-home varies with taxes, household composition, overtime, tips, and benefits.