Can A Bartender Afford Rent in Rockport, MA?

Rent-burdened — rent takes 52.9% of gross income.

Rockport rent: January 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Massachusetts state estimate).

Rockport median rent
$1,795/mo
Bartender salary (Massachusetts)
$40,751/yr
Rent as % of income
52.9%
Gross monthly income works out to about $3,396, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,019/mo in rent. Rockport's median rent of $1,795 exceeds that threshold by $776/mo, putting a bartender salary into the rent-burdened range here. A bartender works roughly 91.6 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 Rockport, which improves the affordability math on a bartender salary:

Chicopee, MA
$1,793/mo (52.8% of income)
Fall River, MA
$1,791/mo (52.7% of income)
Springfield, MA
$1,790/mo (52.7% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Rockport

View full rent data for Rockport, MA

Frequently asked questions

Can a bartender afford rent in Rockport, MA?

Median rent in Rockport is $1,795 a month. A typical bartender in Massachusetts earns about $40,751 a year, which makes that rent 52.9% 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 Rockport?

Using the 30% rule, a bartender salary in Massachusetts (~$40,751/yr) supports up to $1,019 a month in rent. Rockport's current median rent is $1,795/mo, which is $776/mo over the affordability threshold.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $20 an hour, a bartender in Massachusetts works roughly 91.6 hours a month to cover Rockport's median rent of $1,795.

Where is rent cheaper than Rockport for a bartender?

Nearby Massachusetts cities with lower median rent include Chicopee ($1,793/mo), Fall River ($1,791/mo), Springfield ($1,790/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 Rockport, MA. Affordability applies the 30% rule (rent ≤ 30% of gross income). Real take-home varies with taxes, household composition, overtime, tips, and benefits.