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. 15 of 71 cities tracked stay within the 30% rule; 56 are rent-burdened on this salary.
| City↕ | Median rent↕ | % of income↑ | Affordability |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sterling, CO | $1,070/mo | 18.2% | very comfortable |
| Alamosa, CO | $1,200/mo | 20.4% | affordable |
| Trinidad, CO | $1,216/mo | 20.7% | affordable |
| Manitou Springs, CO | $1,323/mo | 22.5% | affordable |
| Clifton, CO | $1,371/mo | 23.4% | affordable |
| Pueblo, CO | $1,392/mo | 23.7% | affordable |
| Greeley, CO | $1,474/mo | 25.1% | affordable |
| Northglenn, CO | $1,533/mo | 26.1% | affordable |
| Glendale, CO | $1,537/mo | 26.2% | affordable |
| Cortez, CO | $1,567/mo | 26.7% | affordable |
| Federal Heights, CO | $1,576/mo | 26.9% | affordable |
| Dakota Ridge, CO | $1,727/mo | 29.4% | affordable |
| Evans, CO | $1,723/mo | 29.4% | affordable |
| Colorado Springs, CO | $1,739/mo | 29.6% | affordable |
| Aurora, CO | $1,759/mo | 30% | affordable |
| Grand Junction, CO | $1,768/mo | 30.1% | stretched |
| Lakewood, CO | $1,814/mo | 30.9% | stretched |
| Loveland, CO | $1,859/mo | 31.7% | stretched |
| Stratmoor, CO | $1,861/mo | 31.7% | stretched |
| Englewood, CO | $1,873/mo | 31.9% | stretched |
| Denver, CO | $1,877/mo | 32% | stretched |
| Westminster, CO | $1,879/mo | 32% | stretched |
| Cherry Creek, CO | $1,894/mo | 32.3% | stretched |
| Thornton, CO | $1,910/mo | 32.5% | stretched |
| Fort Collins, CO | $1,938/mo | 33% | stretched |
| Fruita, CO | $1,935/mo | 33% | stretched |
| Meridian, CO | $1,940/mo | 33.1% | stretched |
| Longmont, CO | $1,961/mo | 33.4% | stretched |
| Brighton, CO | $1,976/mo | 33.7% | stretched |
| Durango, CO | $1,997/mo | 34% | stretched |
| Wheat Ridge, CO | $2,014/mo | 34.3% | stretched |
| Lone Tree, CO | $2,011/mo | 34.3% | stretched |
| Montrose, CO | $2,027/mo | 34.5% | stretched |
| Broomfield, CO | $2,035/mo | 34.7% | stretched |
| Littleton, CO | $2,065/mo | 35.2% | stretched |
| Arvada, CO | $2,094/mo | 35.7% | stretched |
| Johnstown, CO | $2,104/mo | 35.8% | stretched |
| Fountain, CO | $2,125/mo | 36.2% | stretched |
| Monument, CO | $2,148/mo | 36.6% | stretched |
| Woodland Park, CO | $2,165/mo | 36.9% | stretched |
| Greenwood Village, CO | $2,206/mo | 37.6% | stretched |
| Centennial, CO | $2,228/mo | 38% | stretched |
| Lafayette, CO | $2,250/mo | 38.3% | stretched |
| Golden, CO | $2,295/mo | 39.1% | stretched |
| Security-Widefield, CO | $2,308/mo | 39.3% | stretched |
| Parker, CO | $2,332/mo | 39.7% | stretched |
| Rifle, CO | $2,367/mo | 40.3% | rent-burdened |
| Firestone, CO | $2,370/mo | 40.4% | rent-burdened |
| Morrison, CO | $2,419/mo | 41.2% | rent-burdened |
| Boulder, CO | $2,439/mo | 41.6% | rent-burdened |
| Superior, CO | $2,450/mo | 41.7% | rent-burdened |
| Windsor, CO | $2,452/mo | 41.8% | rent-burdened |
| Glenwood Springs, CO | $2,468/mo | 42% | rent-burdened |
| Commerce City, CO | $2,484/mo | 42.3% | rent-burdened |
| Castle Rock, CO | $2,493/mo | 42.5% | rent-burdened |
| Milliken, CO | $2,550/mo | 43.4% | rent-burdened |
| Castle Pines, CO | $2,603/mo | 44.3% | rent-burdened |
| Peyton, CO | $2,615/mo | 44.6% | rent-burdened |
| Louisville, CO | $2,634/mo | 44.9% | rent-burdened |
| Highlands Ranch, CO | $2,650/mo | 45.1% | rent-burdened |
| Eagle, CO | $2,732/mo | 46.5% | rent-burdened |
| Timnath, CO | $2,852/mo | 48.6% | rent-burdened |
| Erie, CO | $2,989/mo | 50.9% | severely rent-burdened |
| Evergreen, CO | $3,026/mo | 51.6% | severely rent-burdened |
| Granby, CO | $3,317/mo | 56.5% | severely rent-burdened |
| Silverthorne, CO | $3,377/mo | 57.5% | severely rent-burdened |
| Steamboat Springs, CO | $3,558/mo | 60.6% | severely rent-burdened |
| Vail, CO | $3,635/mo | 61.9% | severely rent-burdened |
| Carbondale, CO | $4,033/mo | 68.7% | severely rent-burdened |
| Basalt, CO | $5,017/mo | 85.5% | severely rent-burdened |
| Aspen, CO | $18,041/mo | 307.4% | severely rent-burdened |