Can A Chef Afford Rent in Rockport, MA?
Comfortably affordable — rent takes 28.9% of gross income.
Rockport 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 Rockport, which improves the affordability math on a chef salary:
Compare with full rent data for Rockport
View full rent data for Rockport, MA →Frequently asked questions
Can a chef afford rent in Rockport, MA?
Median rent in Rockport is $1,795 a month. A typical chef in Massachusetts earns about $74,414 a year, which makes that rent 28.9% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is yes.
How much rent can a chef afford in Rockport?
Using the 30% rule, a chef salary in Massachusetts (~$74,414/yr) supports up to $1,860 a month in rent. Rockport's current median rent is $1,795/mo, which leaves a $65/mo buffer.
How many hours does a chef work to cover rent in Rockport?
At an hourly equivalent of about $36 an hour, a chef in Massachusetts works roughly 50.2 hours a month to cover Rockport's median rent of $1,795.
Where is rent cheaper than Rockport for a chef?
Nearby Massachusetts cities with lower median rent include Chicopee ($1,793/mo), Fall River ($1,791/mo), Springfield ($1,790/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a chef salary.