Can An Electrician Afford Rent in Cambridge, MA?
Rent-burdened — rent takes 53.2% of gross income.
Cambridge rent: June 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Massachusetts state estimate).
About rent and an electrician salary
Electrician pay is competitive with many four-year-degree occupations and covers comfortable rent across most US metros. Union journeymen in high-cost cities often earn well above the BLS mean once overtime and benefits are counted, which expands affordability further. At the national-average electrician salary, the 30% rule supports about $1,748 a month in rent. The per-city pages show where rent stays in range and where it begins to pinch.
Cheaper rent nearby
These Massachusetts cities have lower median rent than Cambridge, which improves the affordability math on an electrician salary:
Compare with full rent data for Cambridge
View full rent data for Cambridge, MA →Frequently asked questions
Can an electrician afford rent in Cambridge, MA?
Median rent in Cambridge is $3,598 a month. A typical electrician in Massachusetts earns about $81,084 a year, which makes that rent 53.2% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is no — rent exceeds the 30% threshold.
How much rent can an electrician afford in Cambridge?
Using the 30% rule, an electrician salary in Massachusetts (~$81,084/yr) supports up to $2,027 a month in rent. Cambridge's current median rent is $3,598/mo, which is $1,571/mo over the affordability threshold.
How many hours does an electrician work to cover rent in Cambridge?
At an hourly equivalent of about $39 an hour, an electrician in Massachusetts works roughly 92.3 hours a month to cover Cambridge's median rent of $3,598.
Where is rent cheaper than Cambridge for an electrician?
Nearby Massachusetts cities with lower median rent include Somerville ($3,589/mo), Concord ($3,588/mo), Concord ($3,570/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on an electrician salary.