Rent Affordability for A Chef in Colorado

A typical chef in Colorado earns about $67,358 a year, which supports approximately $1,684 a month in rent under the 30% rule. Below, every tracked Colorado city is ranked by how local rent compares against that affordability ceiling.

As of May 2026. 11 of 71 cities tracked stay within the 30% rule; 60 are rent-burdened on this salary.

CityMedian rent% of incomeAffordability
Sterling, CO$1,070/mo19.1%very comfortable
Alamosa, CO$1,200/mo21.4%affordable
Trinidad, CO$1,216/mo21.7%affordable
Manitou Springs, CO$1,323/mo23.6%affordable
Clifton, CO$1,371/mo24.4%affordable
Pueblo, CO$1,392/mo24.8%affordable
Greeley, CO$1,474/mo26.3%affordable
Northglenn, CO$1,533/mo27.3%affordable
Glendale, CO$1,537/mo27.4%affordable
Cortez, CO$1,567/mo27.9%affordable
Federal Heights, CO$1,576/mo28.1%affordable
Evans, CO$1,723/mo30.7%stretched
Dakota Ridge, CO$1,727/mo30.8%stretched
Colorado Springs, CO$1,739/mo31%stretched
Aurora, CO$1,759/mo31.3%stretched
Grand Junction, CO$1,768/mo31.5%stretched
Lakewood, CO$1,814/mo32.3%stretched
Loveland, CO$1,859/mo33.1%stretched
Stratmoor, CO$1,861/mo33.2%stretched
Denver, CO$1,877/mo33.4%stretched
Englewood, CO$1,873/mo33.4%stretched
Westminster, CO$1,879/mo33.5%stretched
Cherry Creek, CO$1,894/mo33.7%stretched
Thornton, CO$1,910/mo34%stretched
Fort Collins, CO$1,938/mo34.5%stretched
Fruita, CO$1,935/mo34.5%stretched
Meridian, CO$1,940/mo34.6%stretched
Longmont, CO$1,961/mo34.9%stretched
Brighton, CO$1,976/mo35.2%stretched
Durango, CO$1,997/mo35.6%stretched
Lone Tree, CO$2,011/mo35.8%stretched
Wheat Ridge, CO$2,014/mo35.9%stretched
Montrose, CO$2,027/mo36.1%stretched
Broomfield, CO$2,035/mo36.3%stretched
Littleton, CO$2,065/mo36.8%stretched
Arvada, CO$2,094/mo37.3%stretched
Johnstown, CO$2,104/mo37.5%stretched
Fountain, CO$2,125/mo37.9%stretched
Monument, CO$2,148/mo38.3%stretched
Woodland Park, CO$2,165/mo38.6%stretched
Greenwood Village, CO$2,206/mo39.3%stretched
Centennial, CO$2,228/mo39.7%stretched
Lafayette, CO$2,250/mo40.1%rent-burdened
Golden, CO$2,295/mo40.9%rent-burdened
Security-Widefield, CO$2,308/mo41.1%rent-burdened
Parker, CO$2,332/mo41.5%rent-burdened
Firestone, CO$2,370/mo42.2%rent-burdened
Rifle, CO$2,367/mo42.2%rent-burdened
Morrison, CO$2,419/mo43.1%rent-burdened
Boulder, CO$2,439/mo43.5%rent-burdened
Superior, CO$2,450/mo43.6%rent-burdened
Windsor, CO$2,452/mo43.7%rent-burdened
Glenwood Springs, CO$2,468/mo44%rent-burdened
Commerce City, CO$2,484/mo44.3%rent-burdened
Castle Rock, CO$2,493/mo44.4%rent-burdened
Milliken, CO$2,550/mo45.4%rent-burdened
Castle Pines, CO$2,603/mo46.4%rent-burdened
Peyton, CO$2,615/mo46.6%rent-burdened
Louisville, CO$2,634/mo46.9%rent-burdened
Highlands Ranch, CO$2,650/mo47.2%rent-burdened
Eagle, CO$2,732/mo48.7%rent-burdened
Timnath, CO$2,852/mo50.8%severely rent-burdened
Erie, CO$2,989/mo53.2%severely rent-burdened
Evergreen, CO$3,026/mo53.9%severely rent-burdened
Granby, CO$3,317/mo59.1%severely rent-burdened
Silverthorne, CO$3,377/mo60.2%severely rent-burdened
Steamboat Springs, CO$3,558/mo63.4%severely rent-burdened
Vail, CO$3,635/mo64.8%severely rent-burdened
Carbondale, CO$4,033/mo71.8%severely rent-burdened
Basalt, CO$5,017/mo89.4%severely rent-burdened
Aspen, CO$18,041/mo321.4%severely rent-burdened
Methodology: Salary is the BLS-derived state estimate for Colorado. Rent is the latest ZORI monthly value for each city. Affordability uses the 30% rule (rent ≤ 30% of gross income).