Can A Welder Afford Rent in Chicopee, MA?

Stretched but workable — rent takes 32.9% of gross income.

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

Chicopee median rent
$1,635/mo
Welder salary (Massachusetts)
$59,636/yr
Rent as % of income
32.9%
Gross monthly income works out to about $4,970, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,491/mo in rent. Chicopee's median rent of $1,635 exceeds that threshold by $144/mo, putting a welder salary into the rent-burdened range here. A welder works roughly 57 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 Chicopee, which improves the affordability math on a welder salary:

Springfield, MA
$1,634/mo (32.9% of income)
Lynn, MA
$1,625/mo (32.7% of income)
Holyoke, MA
$1,619/mo (32.6% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Chicopee

View full rent data for Chicopee, MA

Frequently asked questions

Can a welder afford rent in Chicopee, MA?

Median rent in Chicopee is $1,635 a month. A typical welder in Massachusetts earns about $59,636 a year, which makes that rent 32.9% 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 Chicopee?

Using the 30% rule, a welder salary in Massachusetts (~$59,636/yr) supports up to $1,491 a month in rent. Chicopee's current median rent is $1,635/mo, which is $144/mo over the affordability threshold.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $29 an hour, a welder in Massachusetts works roughly 57 hours a month to cover Chicopee's median rent of $1,635.

Where is rent cheaper than Chicopee for a welder?

Nearby Massachusetts cities with lower median rent include Springfield ($1,634/mo), Lynn ($1,625/mo), Holyoke ($1,619/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 Chicopee, MA. Affordability applies the 30% rule (rent ≤ 30% of gross income). Real take-home varies with taxes, household composition, overtime, tips, and benefits.