Can A Paramedic Afford Rent in Gloucester, MA?

Rent-burdened — rent takes 50.1% of gross income.

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

Gloucester median rent
$2,574/mo
Paramedic salary (Massachusetts)
$61,689/yr
Rent as % of income
50.1%
Gross monthly income works out to about $5,141, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,542/mo in rent. Gloucester's median rent of $2,574 exceeds that threshold by $1,032/mo, putting a paramedic salary into the rent-burdened range here. A paramedic works roughly 86.8 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 Gloucester, which improves the affordability math on a paramedic salary:

Melrose, MA
$2,572/mo (50% of income)
Maynard, MA
$2,571/mo (50% of income)
Amherst, MA
$2,570/mo (50% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Gloucester

View full rent data for Gloucester, MA

Frequently asked questions

Can a paramedic afford rent in Gloucester, MA?

Median rent in Gloucester is $2,574 a month. A typical paramedic in Massachusetts earns about $61,689 a year, which makes that rent 50.1% 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 Gloucester?

Using the 30% rule, a paramedic salary in Massachusetts (~$61,689/yr) supports up to $1,542 a month in rent. Gloucester's current median rent is $2,574/mo, which is $1,032/mo over the affordability threshold.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $30 an hour, a paramedic in Massachusetts works roughly 86.8 hours a month to cover Gloucester's median rent of $2,574.

Where is rent cheaper than Gloucester for a paramedic?

Nearby Massachusetts cities with lower median rent include Melrose ($2,572/mo), Maynard ($2,571/mo), Amherst ($2,570/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 Gloucester, MA. Affordability applies the 30% rule (rent ≤ 30% of gross income). Real take-home varies with taxes, household composition, overtime, tips, and benefits.