Can A Welder Afford Rent in Boxboro, MA?

Stretched but workable — rent takes 39% of gross income.

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

Boxboro median rent
$1,938/mo
Welder salary (Massachusetts)
$59,636/yr
Rent as % of income
39%
Gross monthly income works out to about $4,970, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,491/mo in rent. Boxboro's median rent of $1,938 exceeds that threshold by $447/mo, putting a welder salary into the rent-burdened range here. A welder works roughly 67.6 hours a month to cover that rent.

About rent and a welder salary

Welder pay tracks the US median household income closely. Pipeline and underwater welders earn materially more. At the national-average welder salary, the 30% rule supports about $1,285 a month in rent.

Cheaper rent nearby

These Massachusetts cities have lower median rent than Boxboro, which improves the affordability math on a welder salary:

New Bedford, MA
$1,935/mo (38.9% of income)
Westfield, MA
$1,934/mo (38.9% of income)
Westfield, MA
$1,929/mo (38.8% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Boxboro

View full rent data for Boxboro, MA

Frequently asked questions

Can a welder afford rent in Boxboro, MA?

Median rent in Boxboro is $1,938 a month. A typical welder in Massachusetts earns about $59,636 a year, which makes that rent 39% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is no — rent exceeds the 30% threshold.

How much rent can a welder afford in Boxboro?

Using the 30% rule, a welder salary in Massachusetts (~$59,636/yr) supports up to $1,491 a month in rent. Boxboro's current median rent is $1,938/mo, which is $447/mo over the affordability threshold.

How many hours does a welder work to cover rent in Boxboro?

At an hourly equivalent of about $29 an hour, a welder in Massachusetts works roughly 67.6 hours a month to cover Boxboro's median rent of $1,938.

Where is rent cheaper than Boxboro for a welder?

Nearby Massachusetts cities with lower median rent include New Bedford ($1,935/mo), Westfield ($1,934/mo), Westfield ($1,929/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a welder salary.

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