Can A Nursing Assistant Afford Rent in Chicopee, MA?

Rent-burdened — rent takes 42.7% of gross income.

Chicopee rent: June 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Massachusetts state estimate).

Chicopee median rent
$1,635/mo
Nursing Assistant salary (Massachusetts)
$45,948/yr
Rent as % of income
42.7%
Gross monthly income works out to about $3,829, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,149/mo in rent. Chicopee's median rent of $1,635 exceeds that threshold by $486/mo, putting a nursing assistant salary into the rent-burdened range here. A nursing assistant works roughly 74 hours a month to cover that rent.

About rent and a nursing assistant salary

Nursing assistant (CNA) pay falls below the rent threshold for a one-bedroom in nearly every US metro, which is the central tension behind the widely studied direct-care workforce affordability gap. At the national-average CNA salary, the 30% rule supports about $990 a month in rent — below median rent in most cities. The per-city pages quantify how far below.

Cheaper rent nearby

These Massachusetts cities have lower median rent than Chicopee, which improves the affordability math on a nursing assistant salary:

Springfield, MA
$1,634/mo (42.7% of income)
Lynn, MA
$1,625/mo (42.4% of income)
Holyoke, MA
$1,619/mo (42.3% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Chicopee

View full rent data for Chicopee, MA

Frequently asked questions

Can a nursing assistant afford rent in Chicopee, MA?

Median rent in Chicopee is $1,635 a month. A typical nursing assistant in Massachusetts earns about $45,948 a year, which makes that rent 42.7% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is no — rent exceeds the 30% threshold.

How much rent can a nursing assistant afford in Chicopee?

Using the 30% rule, a nursing assistant salary in Massachusetts (~$45,948/yr) supports up to $1,149 a month in rent. Chicopee's current median rent is $1,635/mo, which is $486/mo over the affordability threshold.

How many hours does a nursing assistant work to cover rent in Chicopee?

At an hourly equivalent of about $22 an hour, a nursing assistant in Massachusetts works roughly 74 hours a month to cover Chicopee's median rent of $1,635.

Where is rent cheaper than Chicopee for a nursing assistant?

Nearby Massachusetts cities with lower median rent include Springfield ($1,634/mo), Lynn ($1,625/mo), Holyoke ($1,619/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a nursing assistant salary.

Methodology: Salary uses the BLS-derived Massachusetts state estimate from OEWS May 2024. Rent is the most recent ZORI monthly value for Chicopee, MA. Affordability applies the 30% rule (rent ≤ 30% of gross income). Real take-home varies with taxes, household composition, overtime, tips, and benefits.