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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 $60K salary, 2 cities (18%) meet this threshold. That tracks. That's a tough market. We ran the numbers on 11 cities in Colorado using 2026 census, rent, and salary data. …
| Rank | City | Median Rent | Rent % of Gross | Cost Index | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pueblo | $1,316 | 26% | 94 | Details |
| 2 | Greeley | $1,442 | 29% | 102 | Details |
| 3 | Colorado Springs | $1,667 | 33% | 107 | Details |
| 4 | Aurora | $1,689 | 34% | 108 | Details |
| 5 | Lakewood | $1,733 | 35% | 114 | Details |
| 6 | Westminster | $1,788 | 36% | 112 | Details |
| 7 | Denver | $1,818 | 36% | 113 | Details |
| 8 | Thornton | $1,888 | 38% | 113 | Details |
| 9 | Fort Collins | $1,970 | 39% | 117 | Details |
| 10 | Arvada | $2,053 | 41% | 121 | Details |
| 11 | Centennial | $2,056 | 41% | 122 | Details |
#1 Ranked: Pueblo — cost index 94, rent $1,316/mo, income $55,305
2 of 11 cities keep rent under 30% of $60K
2 of 11 cities keep rent under 30% of $60K 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 $60K salary, 2 cities (18%) meet this threshold. That tracks. That's a tough market. 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 $60K salary, the key number is $1,500/month — for better or worse — — that's 30% of gross, the standard affordability line. Pueblo ($1,316/mo, 26%), Greeley ($1,442/mo, 29%), Colorado Springs ($1,667/mo, 33%) all clear that bar. After federal tax, FICA (7.65%), and state income tax, estimated take-home ranges from $44,517 to $44,517/year across these top picks (not adjusted for inflation, but still telling).
Real talk: 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). And on balance, 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 (not adjusted for inflation, but still telling). Solidly above average.
The numbers say yes. Your lifestyle might say not so fast. In Pueblo, the healthcare index sits at 97 — not a dealbreaker, but worth knowing about (and that gap widens if you factor in state taxes). That's not nothing.
2 of 11 cities keep rent under 30% of $60K. The 30% rule — spending no more than 30% of gross income on housing — is the most widely cited benchmark for affordability. On a $60K salary, 2 cities (18%) meet this threshold. That's a tough market. That's a reasonable number (that's pre-tax, of course). Quietly competitive.
What to do with this data: use the ranking as a shortlist, then dig into the city profiles for trend lines and category breakdowns. The difference between #1 and #5 is often smaller than the difference between "good on paper" and "actually fits my life." Compare your top picks with our calculator to see real take-home numbers.
| City | State Tax | Sales Tax | Property Tax | Est. Take-Home |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1Pueblo | 4.4% | 7.81% | 0.49% | $44,517 |
2Greeley | 4.4% | 7.81% | 0.49% | $44,517 |
3Colorado Springs | 4.4% | 7.81% | 0.49% | $44,517 |
4Aurora | 4.4% | 7.81% | 0.49% | $44,517 |
5Lakewood | 4.4% | 7.81% | 0.49% | $44,517 |
6Westminster | 4.4% | 7.81% | 0.49% | $44,517 |
7Denver | 4.4% | 7.81% | 0.49% | $44,517 |
8Thornton | 4.4% | 7.81% | 0.49% | $44,517 |
9Fort Collins | 4.4% | 7.81% | 0.49% | $44,517 |
10Arvada | 4.4% | 7.81% | 0.49% | $44,517 |
111,077 residents · Colorado
Look, Why Pueblo ranks #1: the numbers tell a clear story. At 94 on the cost index, residents save roughly 18% less than the typical American. Rent sits at $1,316/month while the median household pulls in $55,305/year. The Housing category is particularly strong at 85, though Healthcare (97) lags behind. Home prices average $283,780 — $183,590 below the national median.
112,609 residents · Colorado
Here's Greeley by the numbers — and there's a lot to like (and a little to watch). And as far as the data shows, cost index: 102. Rent: $1,442/month. Income: $68,650/year. Home price: $418,757. Population: 112,609. The strongest category is Utilities at 94; the most expensive is Housing at 106. Translate that rent to annual numbers, and residents are saving renters $5,436 per year vs. the national median. That level of affordability is getting rarer every year.
488,664 residents · Colorado
Colorado Springs earns its position at #3 through a combination that's hard to replicate. And for many people, there's not much to say about that beyond the obvious. The 107 cost index sits 5 points below the national baseline, and the $83,198 median income means purchasing power here is genuinely above average. Homes list at $446,132 — $21,238 below the national median — a genuine ownership opportunity. On the cost side, Utilities leads the way at 98, while Housing trails at 118.
177,563 residents · Colorado
So, Aurora. Cost index of 108, rent at $1,689/month. It's lower than the national average. Median income is $84,320, which is above average. Fairly typical for a city this size.
155,961 residents · Colorado
Why Lakewood ranks #5: the numbers tell a clear story. Fairly typical for a city this size. At 114 on the cost index, residents spend roughly 2% more than the typical American. Rent sits at $1,733/month — we had to double-check this one — while the median household pulls in $85,789/year. The Utilities category is particularly strong at 104, though Housing (134) lags behind. Home prices average $565,592 — $98,222 above the national median. Not flashy. Just effective.
Pueblo ranks #1 in Colorado for this analysis with a cost index of 94 and median income of $55,305.
Yes. On a $60K salary in Pueblo, rent would consume about 26% 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 $60K in Pueblo is approximately $44,517/year ($3,710/month). After median rent of $1,316/month, you'd have roughly $28,725/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.