Can A Welder Afford Rent in Gloucester, MA?

Rent-burdened — rent takes 51.8% of gross income.

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

Gloucester median rent
$2,574/mo
Welder salary (Massachusetts)
$59,636/yr
Rent as % of income
51.8%
Gross monthly income works out to about $4,970, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,491/mo in rent. Gloucester's median rent of $2,574 exceeds that threshold by $1,083/mo, putting a welder salary into the rent-burdened range here. A welder works roughly 89.8 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 Gloucester, which improves the affordability math on a welder salary:

Melrose, MA
$2,572/mo (51.8% of income)
Maynard, MA
$2,571/mo (51.7% of income)
Amherst, MA
$2,570/mo (51.7% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Gloucester

View full rent data for Gloucester, MA

Frequently asked questions

Can a welder afford rent in Gloucester, MA?

Median rent in Gloucester is $2,574 a month. A typical welder in Massachusetts earns about $59,636 a year, which makes that rent 51.8% 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 Gloucester?

Using the 30% rule, a welder salary in Massachusetts (~$59,636/yr) supports up to $1,491 a month in rent. Gloucester's current median rent is $2,574/mo, which is $1,083/mo over the affordability threshold.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $29 an hour, a welder in Massachusetts works roughly 89.8 hours a month to cover Gloucester's median rent of $2,574.

Where is rent cheaper than Gloucester for a welder?

Nearby Massachusetts cities with lower median rent include Melrose ($2,572/mo), Maynard ($2,571/mo), Amherst ($2,570/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 Gloucester, MA. Affordability applies the 30% rule (rent ≤ 30% of gross income). Real take-home varies with taxes, household composition, overtime, tips, and benefits.