Rent Affordability for An Elementary School Teacher in Colorado
A typical elementary school teacher in Colorado earns about $70,434 a year, which supports approximately $1,761 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. 16 of 71 cities tracked stay within the 30% rule; 55 are rent-burdened on this salary.
| City↕ | Median rent↕ | % of income↑ | Affordability |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alamosa, CO | $1,071/mo | 18.2% | very comfortable |
| Sterling, CO | $1,172/mo | 20% | very comfortable |
| Trinidad, CO | $1,194/mo | 20.3% | affordable |
| Pueblo, CO | $1,323/mo | 22.5% | affordable |
| Clifton, CO | $1,385/mo | 23.6% | affordable |
| Manitou Springs, CO | $1,390/mo | 23.7% | affordable |
| Glendale, CO | $1,433/mo | 24.4% | affordable |
| Greeley, CO | $1,454/mo | 24.8% | affordable |
| Federal Heights, CO | $1,508/mo | 25.7% | affordable |
| Northglenn, CO | $1,515/mo | 25.8% | affordable |
| Fruita, CO | $1,664/mo | 28.3% | affordable |
| Colorado Springs, CO | $1,717/mo | 29.3% | affordable |
| Dakota Ridge, CO | $1,727/mo | 29.4% | affordable |
| Aurora, CO | $1,742/mo | 29.7% | affordable |
| Evans, CO | $1,747/mo | 29.8% | affordable |
| Cortez, CO | $1,747/mo | 29.8% | affordable |
| Grand Junction, CO | $1,783/mo | 30.4% | stretched |
| Lakewood, CO | $1,800/mo | 30.7% | stretched |
| Englewood, CO | $1,836/mo | 31.3% | stretched |
| Denver, CO | $1,855/mo | 31.6% | stretched |
| Stratmoor, CO | $1,869/mo | 31.8% | stretched |
| Westminster, CO | $1,872/mo | 31.9% | stretched |
| Wheat Ridge, CO | $1,881/mo | 32% | stretched |
| Longmont, CO | $1,883/mo | 32.1% | stretched |
| Thornton, CO | $1,894/mo | 32.3% | stretched |
| Montrose, CO | $1,903/mo | 32.4% | stretched |
| Loveland, CO | $1,932/mo | 32.9% | stretched |
| Durango, CO | $1,940/mo | 33.1% | stretched |
| Lone Tree, CO | $1,941/mo | 33.1% | stretched |
| Cherry Creek, CO | $1,957/mo | 33.3% | stretched |
| Meridian, CO | $1,955/mo | 33.3% | stretched |
| Fort Collins, CO | $1,959/mo | 33.4% | stretched |
| Monument, CO | $1,973/mo | 33.6% | stretched |
| Brighton, CO | $1,980/mo | 33.7% | stretched |
| Johnstown, CO | $1,993/mo | 34% | stretched |
| Littleton, CO | $2,040/mo | 34.8% | stretched |
| Granby, CO | $2,050/mo | 34.9% | stretched |
| Woodland Park, CO | $2,053/mo | 35% | stretched |
| Fountain, CO | $2,079/mo | 35.4% | stretched |
| Arvada, CO | $2,088/mo | 35.6% | stretched |
| Golden, CO | $2,100/mo | 35.8% | stretched |
| Broomfield, CO | $2,115/mo | 36% | stretched |
| Lafayette, CO | $2,193/mo | 37.4% | stretched |
| Centennial, CO | $2,203/mo | 37.5% | stretched |
| Parker, CO | $2,211/mo | 37.7% | stretched |
| Windsor, CO | $2,222/mo | 37.9% | stretched |
| Greenwood Village, CO | $2,224/mo | 37.9% | stretched |
| Superior, CO | $2,271/mo | 38.7% | stretched |
| Louisville, CO | $2,288/mo | 39% | stretched |
| Milliken, CO | $2,288/mo | 39% | stretched |
| Security-Widefield, CO | $2,294/mo | 39.1% | stretched |
| Castle Rock, CO | $2,333/mo | 39.7% | stretched |
| Firestone, CO | $2,347/mo | 40% | stretched |
| Boulder, CO | $2,435/mo | 41.5% | rent-burdened |
| Castle Pines, CO | $2,453/mo | 41.8% | rent-burdened |
| Commerce City, CO | $2,489/mo | 42.4% | rent-burdened |
| Glenwood Springs, CO | $2,538/mo | 43.2% | rent-burdened |
| Highlands Ranch, CO | $2,559/mo | 43.6% | rent-burdened |
| Evergreen, CO | $2,568/mo | 43.8% | rent-burdened |
| Rifle, CO | $2,575/mo | 43.9% | rent-burdened |
| Peyton, CO | $2,686/mo | 45.8% | rent-burdened |
| Erie, CO | $2,776/mo | 47.3% | rent-burdened |
| Morrison, CO | $2,913/mo | 49.6% | rent-burdened |
| Timnath, CO | $2,932/mo | 50% | rent-burdened |
| Eagle, CO | $3,031/mo | 51.6% | severely rent-burdened |
| Steamboat Springs, CO | $3,336/mo | 56.8% | severely rent-burdened |
| Silverthorne, CO | $3,423/mo | 58.3% | severely rent-burdened |
| Basalt, CO | $3,800/mo | 64.7% | severely rent-burdened |
| Vail, CO | $3,870/mo | 65.9% | severely rent-burdened |
| Carbondale, CO | $4,150/mo | 70.7% | severely rent-burdened |
| Aspen, CO | $17,626/mo | 300.3% | severely rent-burdened |