Can A Registered Nurse Afford Rent in Cortez, CO?

Comfortably affordable — rent takes 19% of gross income.

Cortez rent: June 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Colorado state estimate).

Cortez median rent
$1,567/mo
Registered Nurse salary (Colorado)
$99,204/yr
Rent as % of income
19%
Gross monthly income works out to about $8,267, and the 30% rule supports up to $2,480/mo in rent. Cortez's median rent of $1,567 leaves roughly $913/mo of headroom under that threshold. A registered nurse works roughly 32.9 hours a month to cover that rent.

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 Cortez, which improves the affordability math on a registered nurse salary:

Longmont, CO
$1,559/mo (18.9% of income)
Northglenn, CO
$1,557/mo (18.8% of income)
Fort Collins, CO
$1,544/mo (18.7% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Cortez

View full rent data for Cortez, CO

Frequently asked questions

Can a registered nurse afford rent in Cortez, CO?

Median rent in Cortez is $1,567 a month. A typical registered nurse in Colorado earns about $99,204 a year, which makes that rent 19% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is yes.

How much rent can a registered nurse afford in Cortez?

Using the 30% rule, a registered nurse salary in Colorado (~$99,204/yr) supports up to $2,480 a month in rent. Cortez's current median rent is $1,567/mo, which leaves a $913/mo buffer.

How many hours does a registered nurse work to cover rent in Cortez?

At an hourly equivalent of about $48 an hour, a registered nurse in Colorado works roughly 32.9 hours a month to cover Cortez's median rent of $1,567.

Where is rent cheaper than Cortez for a registered nurse?

Nearby Colorado cities with lower median rent include Longmont ($1,559/mo), Northglenn ($1,557/mo), Fort Collins ($1,544/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a registered nurse salary.

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