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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
If there's one takeaway from this page, it's this: 0 of 11 cities keep rent under 30% of $30K. The 30% rule — spending no more than 30% of gross income on housing — is the most widely cited benchmark for affordability. On a $30K salary, 0 cities (0%) meet this threshold. That's a tough market.
111,077 residents · Colorado
What does daily life actually cost in Pueblo? Start with the 29% rent-to-income ratio — tight but manageable for most households. On the category level, Housing (index 77) is where the real savings show up, while Healthcare (index 95) is the line item most likely to surprise newcomers. Income at $55,305 and homes at $283,780 round out a profile that ranks #1 for clear reasons (that's pre-tax, of course).
112,609 residents · Colorado
Why Greeley ranks #2: the numbers tell a clear story. At 84 on the cost index, residents save roughly 27% less than the typical American. Rent sits at $1,442/month while the median household pulls in $68,650/year. The Housing category is particularly strong at 84, though Healthcare (97) lags behind. Home prices average $418,757 — $48,613 below the national median.
488,664 residents · Colorado
The #3 spot goes to Colorado Springs, and the breakdown explains why. Renters here pay $1,667/month — saving renters $2,736 per year compared to the national average. Meanwhile, Housing is the standout at index 97, keeping costs manageable. The weak spot? Healthcare at 99. At a 24% rent-to-income ratio, there's genuine breathing room in the average household budget.
177,563 residents · Colorado
The #4 spot goes to Aurora, and the breakdown explains why. Renters here pay $1,689/month — saving renters $2,472 per year compared to the national average. Meanwhile, Housing is the standout at index 99, keeping costs manageable. The weak spot? Healthcare at 100. At a 24% rent-to-income ratio, there's genuine breathing room in the average household budget (more on that below).
155,961 residents · Colorado
A closer look at Lakewood: the cost index of 101 — for better or worse — breaks down to a Healthcare index of 100 (strongest category) and a Housing index of 101 (weakest). Median rent is $1,733/month — 9% below the national median — while household income sits at $85,789, meaning locals spend about 24% of income on rent. That's a healthy margin by any standard.
#1 Ranked: Pueblo — cost index 77, rent $1,316/mo, income $55,305
0 of 11 cities keep rent under 30% of $30K
0 of 11 cities keep rent under 30% of $30K gross income
Data sourced from Census Bureau, Zillow, BLS, and Tax Foundation — current as of 2026
| Rank | City | Median Rent | Rent % of Gross | Cost Index | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pueblo | $1,316 | 53% | 77 | Details |
| 2 | Greeley | $1,442 | 58% | 84 | Details |
| 3 | Colorado Springs | $1,667 | 67% | 97 | Details |
| 4 | Aurora | $1,689 | 68% | 99 | Details |
| 5 | Lakewood | $1,733 | 69% | 101 | Details |
| 6 | Westminster | $1,788 | 72% | 104 | Details |
| 7 | Denver | $1,818 | 73% | 106 | Details |
| 8 | Thornton | $1,888 | 76% | 110 | Details |
| 9 | Fort Collins | $1,970 | 79% | 115 | Details |
| 10 | Arvada | $2,053 | 82% | 120 | Details |
| 11 | Centennial | $2,056 | 82% | 120 | Details |
If there's one takeaway from this page, it's this: 0 of 11 cities keep rent under 30% of $30K. The 30% rule — spending no more than 30% of gross income on housing — is the most widely cited benchmark for affordability. On a $30K salary, 0 cities (0%) meet this threshold. That's a tough market.
The 30% rule — spending no more than 30% of gross income on housing — is the most widely cited benchmark for affordability. On a $30K salary, 0 cities (0%) meet this threshold. 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.
The #1 spot goes to Pueblo, and the breakdown explains why. Renters here pay $1,316/month — saving renters $6,948 per year compared to the national average. Meanwhile, Housing is the standout at index 77, making it one of the cheapest in the country for that category. The weak spot? Healthcare at 95. A 29% rent-to-income ratio keeps most households inside the safe zone.
Contrast this with: State context matters: Colorado's 11 cities average a 103 cost index with $1,765/month median rent and $90,112 household income. Outdoor lifestyle with a rising price tag. Below, we name the single metric that lifts this city past every competitor.
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.
The 30% rule — spending no more than 30% of gross income on housing — is the most widely cited benchmark for affordability. On a $30K salary, 0 cities (0%) meet this threshold. That's a tough market.
Pueblo (index 77) and Centennial (index 120) sit 43 points apart on the cost index — proof that Colorado is far from monolithic in affordability.
| City | State Tax | Sales Tax | Property Tax | Est. Take-Home |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1Pueblo | 4.4% | 7.81% | 0.49% | $23,017 |
2Greeley | 4.4% | 7.81% | 0.49% | $23,017 |
3Colorado Springs | 4.4% | 7.81% | 0.49% | $23,017 |
4Aurora | 4.4% | 7.81% | 0.49% | $23,017 |
5Lakewood | 4.4% | 7.81% | 0.49% | $23,017 |
6Westminster | 4.4% | 7.81% | 0.49% | $23,017 |
7Denver | 4.4% | 7.81% | 0.49% | $23,017 |
8Thornton | 4.4% | 7.81% | 0.49% | $23,017 |
9Fort Collins | 4.4% | 7.81% | 0.49% | $23,017 |
10Arvada | 4.4% | 7.81% | 0.49% | $23,017 |
Pueblo ranks #1 in Colorado for this analysis with a cost index of 77 and median income of $55,305.
Yes. On a $30K salary in Pueblo, rent would consume about 53% of your gross monthly income. Financial experts recommend keeping rent under 30%. It's tight — consider a roommate or nearby suburb.
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 77 and rent of $1,316/mo, while Centennial (ranked #11) has a cost index of 120 and rent of $2,056/mo — a 43-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 $30K in Pueblo is approximately $23,017/year ($1,918/month). After median rent of $1,316/month, you'd have roughly $7,225/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.