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.

City↕Median rent↕% of income↑Affordability
Alamosa, CO$1,071/mo19.1%very comfortable
Sterling, CO$1,172/mo20.9%affordable
Trinidad, CO$1,194/mo21.3%affordable
Pueblo, CO$1,323/mo23.6%affordable
Clifton, CO$1,385/mo24.7%affordable
Manitou Springs, CO$1,390/mo24.8%affordable
Glendale, CO$1,433/mo25.5%affordable
Greeley, CO$1,454/mo25.9%affordable
Federal Heights, CO$1,508/mo26.9%affordable
Northglenn, CO$1,515/mo27%affordable
Fruita, CO$1,664/mo29.6%affordable
Colorado Springs, CO$1,717/mo30.6%stretched
Dakota Ridge, CO$1,727/mo30.8%stretched
Aurora, CO$1,742/mo31%stretched
Evans, CO$1,747/mo31.1%stretched
Cortez, CO$1,747/mo31.1%stretched
Grand Junction, CO$1,783/mo31.8%stretched
Lakewood, CO$1,800/mo32.1%stretched
Englewood, CO$1,836/mo32.7%stretched
Denver, CO$1,855/mo33%stretched
Stratmoor, CO$1,869/mo33.3%stretched
Westminster, CO$1,872/mo33.4%stretched
Longmont, CO$1,883/mo33.5%stretched
Wheat Ridge, CO$1,881/mo33.5%stretched
Thornton, CO$1,894/mo33.7%stretched
Montrose, CO$1,903/mo33.9%stretched
Loveland, CO$1,932/mo34.4%stretched
Durango, CO$1,940/mo34.6%stretched
Lone Tree, CO$1,941/mo34.6%stretched
Meridian, CO$1,955/mo34.8%stretched
Fort Collins, CO$1,959/mo34.9%stretched
Cherry Creek, CO$1,957/mo34.9%stretched
Monument, CO$1,973/mo35.1%stretched
Brighton, CO$1,980/mo35.3%stretched
Johnstown, CO$1,993/mo35.5%stretched
Littleton, CO$2,040/mo36.3%stretched
Granby, CO$2,050/mo36.5%stretched
Woodland Park, CO$2,053/mo36.6%stretched
Fountain, CO$2,079/mo37%stretched
Arvada, CO$2,088/mo37.2%stretched
Golden, CO$2,100/mo37.4%stretched
Broomfield, CO$2,115/mo37.7%stretched
Lafayette, CO$2,193/mo39.1%stretched
Centennial, CO$2,203/mo39.2%stretched
Parker, CO$2,211/mo39.4%stretched
Windsor, CO$2,222/mo39.6%stretched
Greenwood Village, CO$2,224/mo39.6%stretched
Superior, CO$2,271/mo40.5%rent-burdened
Louisville, CO$2,288/mo40.8%rent-burdened
Milliken, CO$2,288/mo40.8%rent-burdened
Security-Widefield, CO$2,294/mo40.9%rent-burdened
Castle Rock, CO$2,333/mo41.6%rent-burdened
Firestone, CO$2,347/mo41.8%rent-burdened
Boulder, CO$2,435/mo43.4%rent-burdened
Castle Pines, CO$2,453/mo43.7%rent-burdened
Commerce City, CO$2,489/mo44.3%rent-burdened
Glenwood Springs, CO$2,538/mo45.2%rent-burdened
Highlands Ranch, CO$2,559/mo45.6%rent-burdened
Evergreen, CO$2,568/mo45.7%rent-burdened
Rifle, CO$2,575/mo45.9%rent-burdened
Peyton, CO$2,686/mo47.9%rent-burdened
Erie, CO$2,776/mo49.5%rent-burdened
Morrison, CO$2,913/mo51.9%severely rent-burdened
Timnath, CO$2,932/mo52.2%severely rent-burdened
Eagle, CO$3,031/mo54%severely rent-burdened
Steamboat Springs, CO$3,336/mo59.4%severely rent-burdened
Silverthorne, CO$3,423/mo61%severely rent-burdened
Basalt, CO$3,800/mo67.7%severely rent-burdened
Vail, CO$3,870/mo68.9%severely rent-burdened
Carbondale, CO$4,150/mo73.9%severely rent-burdened
Aspen, CO$17,626/mo314%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).