Can A Bartender Afford Rent in Spencer, MA?

Rent-burdened — rent takes 55.9% of gross income.

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

Spencer median rent
$1,898/mo
Bartender salary (Massachusetts)
$40,751/yr
Rent as % of income
55.9%
Gross monthly income works out to about $3,396, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,019/mo in rent. Spencer's median rent of $1,898 exceeds that threshold by $879/mo, putting a bartender salary into the rent-burdened range here. A bartender works roughly 96.9 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 Spencer, which improves the affordability math on a bartender salary:

New Bedford, MA
$1,880/mo (55.4% of income)
Plymouth, MA
$1,879/mo (55.3% of income)
Webster, MA
$1,878/mo (55.3% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Spencer

View full rent data for Spencer, MA

Frequently asked questions

Can a bartender afford rent in Spencer, MA?

Median rent in Spencer is $1,898 a month. A typical bartender in Massachusetts earns about $40,751 a year, which makes that rent 55.9% 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 Spencer?

Using the 30% rule, a bartender salary in Massachusetts (~$40,751/yr) supports up to $1,019 a month in rent. Spencer's current median rent is $1,898/mo, which is $879/mo over the affordability threshold.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $20 an hour, a bartender in Massachusetts works roughly 96.9 hours a month to cover Spencer's median rent of $1,898.

Where is rent cheaper than Spencer for a bartender?

Nearby Massachusetts cities with lower median rent include New Bedford ($1,880/mo), Plymouth ($1,879/mo), Webster ($1,878/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 Spencer, MA. Affordability applies the 30% rule (rent ≤ 30% of gross income). Real take-home varies with taxes, household composition, overtime, tips, and benefits.