Can A Truck Driver Afford Rent in Boulder, CO?

Rent-burdened — rent takes 49.2% of gross income.

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

Boulder median rent
$2,439/mo
Truck Driver salary (Colorado)
$59,546/yr
Rent as % of income
49.2%
Gross monthly income works out to about $4,962, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,489/mo in rent. Boulder's median rent of $2,439 exceeds that threshold by $950/mo, putting a truck driver salary into the rent-burdened range here. A truck driver works roughly 85.2 hours a month to cover that rent.

About rent and a truck driver salary

Truck driver pay covers comfortable rent in most lower- and mid-cost US metros and stretches thin in the highest-cost ones. Because many drivers can base anywhere along their route, the home-city rent decision has an outsized effect on take-home. At the national-average driver salary, the 30% rule supports about $1,418 a month in rent. The per-city pages show which markets keep rent within that range and which push it out of reach.

Cheaper rent nearby

These Colorado cities have lower median rent than Boulder, which improves the affordability math on a truck driver salary:

Highlands Ranch, CO
$2,435/mo (49.1% of income)
Highlands Ranch, CO
$2,430/mo (49% of income)
Steamboat Springs, CO
$2,429/mo (49% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Boulder

View full rent data for Boulder, CO

Frequently asked questions

Can a truck driver afford rent in Boulder, CO?

Median rent in Boulder is $2,439 a month. A typical truck driver in Colorado earns about $59,546 a year, which makes that rent 49.2% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is no — rent exceeds the 30% threshold.

How much rent can a truck driver afford in Boulder?

Using the 30% rule, a truck driver salary in Colorado (~$59,546/yr) supports up to $1,489 a month in rent. Boulder's current median rent is $2,439/mo, which is $950/mo over the affordability threshold.

How many hours does a truck driver work to cover rent in Boulder?

At an hourly equivalent of about $29 an hour, a truck driver in Colorado works roughly 85.2 hours a month to cover Boulder's median rent of $2,439.

Where is rent cheaper than Boulder for a truck driver?

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 truck driver salary.

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