Can A Chef Afford Rent in Fairhaven, MA?
Comfortably affordable — rent takes 29% of gross income.
Fairhaven rent: January 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Massachusetts state estimate).
About rent and a chef salary
Chef pay varies sharply by restaurant type, with executive chefs at high-end establishments earning materially above the BLS mean. At the national-average chef salary, the 30% rule supports about $1,604 a month in rent.
Cheaper rent nearby
These Massachusetts cities have lower median rent than Fairhaven, which improves the affordability math on a chef salary:
Compare with full rent data for Fairhaven
View full rent data for Fairhaven, MA →Frequently asked questions
Can a chef afford rent in Fairhaven, MA?
Median rent in Fairhaven is $1,800 a month. A typical chef in Massachusetts earns about $74,414 a year, which makes that rent 29% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is yes.
How much rent can a chef afford in Fairhaven?
Using the 30% rule, a chef salary in Massachusetts (~$74,414/yr) supports up to $1,860 a month in rent. Fairhaven's current median rent is $1,800/mo, which leaves a $60/mo buffer.
How many hours does a chef work to cover rent in Fairhaven?
At an hourly equivalent of about $36 an hour, a chef in Massachusetts works roughly 50.3 hours a month to cover Fairhaven's median rent of $1,800.
Where is rent cheaper than Fairhaven for a chef?
Nearby Massachusetts cities with lower median rent include Holyoke ($1,799/mo), Fitchburg ($1,799/mo), Leominster ($1,798/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a chef salary.