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. 10 of 71 cities tracked stay within the 30% rule; 61 are rent-burdened on this salary.
| City↕ | Median rent↕ | % of income↑ | Affordability |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sterling, CO | $1,003/mo | 17.9% | very comfortable |
| Alamosa, CO | $1,095/mo | 19.5% | very comfortable |
| Trinidad, CO | $1,216/mo | 21.7% | affordable |
| Manitou Springs, CO | $1,325/mo | 23.6% | affordable |
| Clifton, CO | $1,332/mo | 23.7% | affordable |
| Pueblo, CO | $1,391/mo | 24.8% | affordable |
| Greeley, CO | $1,487/mo | 26.5% | affordable |
| Federal Heights, CO | $1,505/mo | 26.8% | affordable |
| Northglenn, CO | $1,509/mo | 26.9% | affordable |
| Glendale, CO | $1,520/mo | 27.1% | affordable |
| Dakota Ridge, CO | $1,727/mo | 30.8% | stretched |
| Grand Junction, CO | $1,732/mo | 30.9% | stretched |
| Evans, CO | $1,738/mo | 31% | stretched |
| Cortez, CO | $1,746/mo | 31.1% | stretched |
| Colorado Springs, CO | $1,749/mo | 31.2% | stretched |
| Aurora, CO | $1,752/mo | 31.2% | stretched |
| Lakewood, CO | $1,803/mo | 32.1% | stretched |
| Fruita, CO | $1,800/mo | 32.1% | stretched |
| Englewood, CO | $1,866/mo | 33.2% | stretched |
| Cherry Creek, CO | $1,868/mo | 33.3% | stretched |
| Denver, CO | $1,884/mo | 33.6% | stretched |
| Westminster, CO | $1,887/mo | 33.6% | stretched |
| Stratmoor, CO | $1,885/mo | 33.6% | stretched |
| Thornton, CO | $1,904/mo | 33.9% | stretched |
| Loveland, CO | $1,910/mo | 34% | stretched |
| Longmont, CO | $1,922/mo | 34.2% | stretched |
| Fort Collins, CO | $1,943/mo | 34.6% | stretched |
| Meridian, CO | $1,940/mo | 34.6% | stretched |
| Wheat Ridge, CO | $1,952/mo | 34.8% | stretched |
| Durango, CO | $1,982/mo | 35.3% | stretched |
| Lone Tree, CO | $1,988/mo | 35.4% | stretched |
| Brighton, CO | $2,001/mo | 35.6% | stretched |
| Montrose, CO | $2,026/mo | 36.1% | stretched |
| Littleton, CO | $2,047/mo | 36.5% | stretched |
| Fountain, CO | $2,056/mo | 36.6% | stretched |
| Broomfield, CO | $2,081/mo | 37.1% | stretched |
| Johnstown, CO | $2,094/mo | 37.3% | stretched |
| Woodland Park, CO | $2,105/mo | 37.5% | stretched |
| Arvada, CO | $2,117/mo | 37.7% | stretched |
| Monument, CO | $2,128/mo | 37.9% | stretched |
| Firestone, CO | $2,131/mo | 38% | stretched |
| Lafayette, CO | $2,211/mo | 39.4% | stretched |
| Windsor, CO | $2,216/mo | 39.5% | stretched |
| Golden, CO | $2,234/mo | 39.8% | stretched |
| Greenwood Village, CO | $2,243/mo | 40% | stretched |
| Centennial, CO | $2,259/mo | 40.2% | rent-burdened |
| Milliken, CO | $2,258/mo | 40.2% | rent-burdened |
| Parker, CO | $2,310/mo | 41.2% | rent-burdened |
| Security-Widefield, CO | $2,322/mo | 41.4% | rent-burdened |
| Commerce City, CO | $2,339/mo | 41.7% | rent-burdened |
| Boulder, CO | $2,370/mo | 42.2% | rent-burdened |
| Rifle, CO | $2,367/mo | 42.2% | rent-burdened |
| Superior, CO | $2,425/mo | 43.2% | rent-burdened |
| Glenwood Springs, CO | $2,429/mo | 43.3% | rent-burdened |
| Castle Rock, CO | $2,503/mo | 44.6% | rent-burdened |
| Morrison, CO | $2,501/mo | 44.6% | rent-burdened |
| Highlands Ranch, CO | $2,635/mo | 46.9% | rent-burdened |
| Louisville, CO | $2,648/mo | 47.2% | rent-burdened |
| Castle Pines, CO | $2,657/mo | 47.3% | rent-burdened |
| Peyton, CO | $2,675/mo | 47.7% | rent-burdened |
| Eagle, CO | $2,752/mo | 49% | rent-burdened |
| Erie, CO | $2,920/mo | 52% | severely rent-burdened |
| Evergreen, CO | $2,942/mo | 52.4% | severely rent-burdened |
| Timnath, CO | $2,973/mo | 53% | severely rent-burdened |
| Granby, CO | $3,125/mo | 55.7% | severely rent-burdened |
| Silverthorne, CO | $3,311/mo | 59% | severely rent-burdened |
| Vail, CO | $3,620/mo | 64.5% | severely rent-burdened |
| Steamboat Springs, CO | $3,713/mo | 66.1% | severely rent-burdened |
| Carbondale, CO | $3,715/mo | 66.2% | severely rent-burdened |
| Basalt, CO | $4,825/mo | 86% | severely rent-burdened |
| Aspen, CO | $18,041/mo | 321.4% | severely rent-burdened |