Can A Registered Nurse Afford Rent in Boulder, CO?
Comfortably affordable — rent takes 29.5% of gross income.
Boulder rent: June 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Colorado state estimate).
About rent and a registered nurse salary
Rent is the single largest fixed cost most renters carry, and the rent-to-income ratio is the simplest measure of whether a city is livable on a given salary. For renters earning a typical registered-nurse income, the 30% rule supports about $2,360 a month in rent. That margin covers comfortable one-bedroom rent in the vast majority of US metros but tightens significantly in the highest-rent coastal cities, where rent can claim 40% or more of an RN paycheck. The per-city pages below show the local rent, the local nurse-pay estimate, and where that combination sits on the affordability scale.
Cheaper rent nearby
These Colorado cities have lower median rent than Boulder, which improves the affordability math on a registered nurse salary:
Compare with full rent data for Boulder
View full rent data for Boulder, CO →Frequently asked questions
Can a registered nurse afford rent in Boulder, CO?
Median rent in Boulder is $2,439 a month. A typical registered nurse in Colorado earns about $99,204 a year, which makes that rent 29.5% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is yes.
How much rent can a registered nurse afford in Boulder?
Using the 30% rule, a registered nurse salary in Colorado (~$99,204/yr) supports up to $2,480 a month in rent. Boulder's current median rent is $2,439/mo, which leaves a $41/mo buffer.
How many hours does a registered nurse work to cover rent in Boulder?
At an hourly equivalent of about $48 an hour, a registered nurse in Colorado works roughly 51.1 hours a month to cover Boulder's median rent of $2,439.
Where is rent cheaper than Boulder for a registered nurse?
Nearby Colorado cities with lower median rent include Highlands Ranch ($2,435/mo), Highlands Ranch ($2,430/mo), Steamboat Springs ($2,429/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a registered nurse salary.