Can A Carpenter Afford Rent in Gloucester, MA?

Rent-burdened — rent takes 43.7% of gross income.

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

Gloucester median rent
$2,574/mo
Carpenter salary (Massachusetts)
$70,690/yr
Rent as % of income
43.7%
Gross monthly income works out to about $5,891, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,767/mo in rent. Gloucester's median rent of $2,574 exceeds that threshold by $807/mo, putting a carpenter salary into the rent-burdened range here. A carpenter works roughly 75.7 hours a month to cover that rent.

About rent and a carpenter salary

Carpenter pay sits modestly above the US median household income and covers comfortable rent in most lower- and mid-cost metros. Union carpenters in high-cost cities often earn well above the BLS mean. At the national-average carpenter salary, the 30% rule supports about $1,524 a month in rent.

Cheaper rent nearby

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

Melrose, MA
$2,572/mo (43.7% of income)
Maynard, MA
$2,571/mo (43.6% of income)
Amherst, MA
$2,570/mo (43.6% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Gloucester

View full rent data for Gloucester, MA

Frequently asked questions

Can a carpenter afford rent in Gloucester, MA?

Median rent in Gloucester is $2,574 a month. A typical carpenter in Massachusetts earns about $70,690 a year, which makes that rent 43.7% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is no — rent exceeds the 30% threshold.

How much rent can a carpenter afford in Gloucester?

Using the 30% rule, a carpenter salary in Massachusetts (~$70,690/yr) supports up to $1,767 a month in rent. Gloucester's current median rent is $2,574/mo, which is $807/mo over the affordability threshold.

How many hours does a carpenter work to cover rent in Gloucester?

At an hourly equivalent of about $34 an hour, a carpenter in Massachusetts works roughly 75.7 hours a month to cover Gloucester's median rent of $2,574.

Where is rent cheaper than Gloucester for a carpenter?

Nearby Massachusetts cities with lower median rent include Melrose ($2,572/mo), Maynard ($2,571/mo), Amherst ($2,570/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a carpenter salary.

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