Can A Paramedic Afford Rent in Brookline, MA?

Rent-burdened — rent takes 69.4% of gross income.

Brookline rent: July 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Massachusetts state estimate).

Brookline median rent
$3,568/mo
Paramedic salary (Massachusetts)
$61,689/yr
Rent as % of income
69.4%
Gross monthly income works out to about $5,141, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,542/mo in rent. Brookline's median rent of $3,568 exceeds that threshold by $2,026/mo, putting a paramedic salary into the rent-burdened range here. A paramedic works roughly 120.3 hours a month to cover that rent.

About rent and a paramedic salary

Paramedic and EMT base pay sits modestly below the US median household income and is often supplemented by overtime. At the national-average paramedic salary, the 30% rule supports about $1,330 a month in rent.

Cheaper rent nearby

These Massachusetts cities have lower median rent than Brookline, which improves the affordability math on a paramedic salary:

Newton, MA
$3,567/mo (69.4% of income)
Cambridge, MA
$3,559/mo (69.2% of income)
Newton, MA
$3,545/mo (69% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Brookline

View full rent data for Brookline, MA

Frequently asked questions

Can a paramedic afford rent in Brookline, MA?

Median rent in Brookline is $3,568 a month. A typical paramedic in Massachusetts earns about $61,689 a year, which makes that rent 69.4% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is no — rent exceeds the 30% threshold.

How much rent can a paramedic afford in Brookline?

Using the 30% rule, a paramedic salary in Massachusetts (~$61,689/yr) supports up to $1,542 a month in rent. Brookline's current median rent is $3,568/mo, which is $2,026/mo over the affordability threshold.

How many hours does a paramedic work to cover rent in Brookline?

At an hourly equivalent of about $30 an hour, a paramedic in Massachusetts works roughly 120.3 hours a month to cover Brookline's median rent of $3,568.

Where is rent cheaper than Brookline for a paramedic?

Nearby Massachusetts cities with lower median rent include Newton ($3,567/mo), Cambridge ($3,559/mo), Newton ($3,545/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a paramedic salary.

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