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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
The 30% rule — spending no more than 30% of gross income on housing — is the most widely cited benchmark for affordability. On a $100K salary, 11 cities (100%) meet this threshold. You've got plenty of choices. We ran the numbers on 11 cities in Colorado using 2026 census, rent, and salary data. Pue…
| Rank | City | Median Rent | Rent % of Gross | Cost Index | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pueblo | $1,316 | 16% | 94 | Details |
| 2 | Greeley | $1,442 | 17% | 102 | Details |
| 3 | Colorado Springs | $1,667 | 20% | 107 | Details |
| 4 | Aurora | $1,689 | 20% | 108 | Details |
| 5 | Lakewood | $1,733 | 21% | 114 | Details |
| 6 | Westminster | $1,788 | 21% | 112 | Details |
| 7 | Denver | $1,818 | 22% | 113 | Details |
| 8 | Thornton | $1,888 | 23% | 113 | Details |
| 9 | Fort Collins | $1,970 | 24% | 117 | Details |
| 10 | Arvada | $2,053 | 25% | 121 | Details |
| 11 | Centennial | $2,056 | 25% | 122 | Details |
#1 Ranked: Pueblo — cost index 94, rent $1,316/mo, income $55,305
11 of 11 cities keep rent under 30% of $100K
11 of 11 cities keep rent under 30% of $100K gross income
Data sourced from Census Bureau, Zillow, BLS, and Tax Foundation — current as of 2026
The 30% rule — spending no more than 30% of gross income on housing — is the most widely cited benchmark for affordability. On a $100K salary, 11 cities (100%) meet this threshold. You've got plenty of choices. We ran the numbers on 11 cities in Colorado using 2026 census, rent, and salary data. Pueblo comes out on top — here's the full ranking and analysis.
On a $100K salary, the key number is $2,500/month — that's 30% of gross, the standard affordability line. Pueblo ($1,316/mo, 16%), Greeley ($1,442/mo, 17%), Colorado Springs ($1,667/mo, 20%) all clear that bar. After federal tax, FICA (7.65%), and state income tax, estimated take-home ranges from $70,897 to $70,897/year across these top picks.
A closer look at Pueblo: the cost index of 94 breaks down to a Housing index of 85 (strongest category) and a Healthcare index of 97 (weakest). Median rent is $1,316/month — 31% below the national median — while household income sits at $55,305, meaning locals spend about 29% of income on rent. That's within the recommended 30% threshold, though it doesn't leave much room.
Most rankings ignore this. We think it's the whole point: 11 of 11 cities keep rent under 30% of $100K. The 30% rule — spending no more than 30% of gross income on housing — is the most widely cited benchmark for affordability. On a $100K salary, 11 cities (100%) meet this threshold. You've got plenty of choices. The data here speaks for itself.
Bottom line: Pueblo leads this ranking for clear, data-backed reasons — but the "best" city depends on your priorities. Click into any city below to see the full detail page with 12-month trend charts, profession-specific salary data, and a breakdown of all five cost categories. If you're seriously considering a move, use our salary calculator to model your specific income against these numbers.
| City | State Tax | Sales Tax | Property Tax | Est. Take-Home |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1Pueblo | 4.4% | 7.81% | 0.49% | $70,897 |
2Greeley | 4.4% | 7.81% | 0.49% | $70,897 |
3Colorado Springs | 4.4% | 7.81% | 0.49% | $70,897 |
4Aurora | 4.4% | 7.81% | 0.49% | $70,897 |
5Lakewood | 4.4% | 7.81% | 0.49% | $70,897 |
6Westminster | 4.4% | 7.81% | 0.49% | $70,897 |
7Denver | 4.4% | 7.81% | 0.49% | $70,897 |
8Thornton | 4.4% | 7.81% | 0.49% | $70,897 |
9Fort Collins | 4.4% | 7.81% | 0.49% | $70,897 |
10Arvada | 4.4% | 7.81% | 0.49% | $70,897 |
111,077 residents · Colorado
Pueblo comes in at #1. Rent is $1,316 — this is the part where it gets real — a month. Household income is $55,305. The cost of living index is 94. That's more or less in line with the region (your mileage may vary — literally).
112,609 residents · Colorado
Greeley earns its position at #2 through a combination that's hard to replicate. The 102 cost index sits 10 points below the national baseline, and the $68,650 median income means purchasing power here is amplified by the low cost base. Homes list at $418,757 — $48,613 below the national median — a genuine ownership opportunity. On the cost side, Utilities leads the way at 94, while Housing trails at 106.
488,664 residents · Colorado
What does daily life actually cost in Colorado Springs? Start with the 24% rent-to-income ratio — that's the kind of margin that lets people build savings. On the category level, Utilities (index 98) is where the real savings show up, while Housing (index 118) is the line item most likely to surprise newcomers. Income at $83,198 and homes at $446,132 round out a profile that ranks #3 for clear reasons. Hard to argue with that.
177,563 residents · Colorado
Look, at $1,689/month for rent and a cost index of 108, Aurora is pretty much what you'd expect from a mid-size city in this part of the country. Income is $84,320. Not the most exciting stat, but it matters.
155,961 residents · Colorado
Here's Lakewood by the numbers — and there's a lot to like. Cost index: 114. Rent: $1,733/month. Income: $85,789/year. Pretty standard for this type of city. Home price: $565,592. Population: 155,961. The strongest category is Utilities at 104; the most expensive is Housing at 134. Translate that rent to annual numbers, and residents are saving renters $1,944 per year vs. the national median. If you plug these numbers into any cost calculator, they hold up.
Pueblo ranks #1 in Colorado for this analysis with a cost index of 94 and median income of $55,305.
Yes. On a $100K salary in Pueblo, rent would consume about 16% of your gross monthly income. Financial experts recommend keeping rent under 30%. You're well within that guideline.
Our cost of living index uses real Zillow rent data as the foundation, indexed to 100 (national median). Sub-categories (housing, food, transport, utilities, healthcare) are derived from the overall index with regional adjustments. Data is updated monthly.
Pueblo (ranked #1) has a cost index of 94 and rent of $1,316/mo, while Centennial (ranked #11) has a cost index of 122 and rent of $2,056/mo — a 28-point difference in cost of living.
City data is refreshed monthly from Census Bureau population estimates, Zillow rent and home price indices, BLS salary data, and Tax Foundation tax rates. Last updated: 2026.
The median 1-bedroom rent in Pueblo is $1,316/month as of 2026, based on Zillow's Observed Rent Index. This is $579 below the national median of $1,895/month.
After federal taxes, FICA (7.65%), and 4.4% state income tax, estimated take-home on $100K in Pueblo is approximately $70,897/year ($5,908/month). After median rent of $1,316/month, you'd have roughly $55,105/year for all other expenses.
The median home price in Pueblo is $283,780, which is 5.1× the local median income. Most median-income households would stretch to buy at this ratio. The national median home price is $467,370.
Colorado has a 4.4% state income tax rate. Combined state and local sales tax averages 7.81%, and the effective property tax rate is 0.49%.
This ranking was generated using data current as of early 2026. Population and income data comes from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (5-year estimates). Rent and home price data is from Zillow's monthly releases. Tax rates are from the Tax Foundation's 2025 edition. Rankings are refreshed monthly.