Can A Waiter or Waitress Afford Rent in Alamosa, CO?

Stretched but workable — rent takes 37.5% of gross income.

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

Alamosa median rent
$1,200/mo
Waiter or Waitress salary (Colorado)
$38,357/yr
Rent as % of income
37.5%
Gross monthly income works out to about $3,196, and the 30% rule supports up to $959/mo in rent. Alamosa's median rent of $1,200 exceeds that threshold by $241/mo, putting a waiter or waitress salary into the rent-burdened range here. A waiter or waitress works roughly 65.1 hours a month to cover that rent.

About rent and a waiter or waitress salary

Declared server pay (base plus reported tips) sits below the rent threshold needed for a one-bedroom apartment in most US cities, which is why the server workforce tends to live in shared housing. Actual tip income varies widely and can push real take-home well above the BLS figure, particularly in fine-dining and high-volume restaurants. At the national-average declared server salary, the 30% rule supports about $913 a month in rent. The per-city pages show which markets keep rent within that range.

Cheaper rent nearby

These Colorado cities have lower median rent than Alamosa, which improves the affordability math on a waiter or waitress salary:

Greeley, CO
$1,197/mo (37.4% of income)
Clifton, CO
$1,193/mo (37.3% of income)
Sterling, CO
$1,190/mo (37.2% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Alamosa

View full rent data for Alamosa, CO

Frequently asked questions

Can a waiter or waitress afford rent in Alamosa, CO?

Median rent in Alamosa is $1,200 a month. A typical waiter or waitress in Colorado earns about $38,357 a year, which makes that rent 37.5% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is no — rent exceeds the 30% threshold.

How much rent can a waiter or waitress afford in Alamosa?

Using the 30% rule, a waiter or waitress salary in Colorado (~$38,357/yr) supports up to $959 a month in rent. Alamosa's current median rent is $1,200/mo, which is $241/mo over the affordability threshold.

How many hours does a waiter or waitress work to cover rent in Alamosa?

At an hourly equivalent of about $18 an hour, a waiter or waitress in Colorado works roughly 65.1 hours a month to cover Alamosa's median rent of $1,200.

Where is rent cheaper than Alamosa for a waiter or waitress?

Nearby Colorado cities with lower median rent include Greeley ($1,197/mo), Clifton ($1,193/mo), Sterling ($1,190/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a waiter or waitress salary.

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