Denver: what paychecks leave after rent
Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO metro area: 1,609,350 jobs, median pay of $62,320 across all occupations, and a $1,831 one-bedroom Fair Market Rent.
The typical worker in Denver, earning the all-occupations median of $62,320, takes home about $4,355 a month after federal taxes. A one-bedroom at HUD's Fair Market Rent would take 42% of that. The median wage is 0.85× the income needed to keep that rent at 30% of gross pay, which falls short of the guideline.
Of the 10 jobs covered here, software developers have the most room (21% of take-home on a 1BR). Fast Food and Counter Workers are the most squeezed (69%).
Census figures add context: the ACS 2020–2024 5-year median gross rent paid by all renter households in the metro was $1,874 (±$9), and median household income was $105,762 (±$739).
Rent share of take-home pay, by job
All jobs in Denver
| Job | Median pay | Take-home / mo | Hours of work | 1BR share | Left after 1BR | Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Software Developer | $137,610 | $8,777 | 27.7 h | 21% | $6,946 | 1.88× |
| Police Officer | $101,970 | $6,714 | 37.4 h | 27% | $4,883 | 1.39× |
| Registered Nurse | $101,130 | $6,665 | 37.7 h | 27% | $4,834 | 1.38× |
| Accountant or Auditor | $100,020 | $6,600 | 38.1 h | 28% | $4,769 | 1.37× |
| Elementary School Teacher | $76,910 | $5,245 | — h | 35% | $3,414 | 1.05× |
| Truck Driver | $63,900 | $4,460 | 59.6 h | 41% | $2,629 | 0.87× |
| Electrician | $63,150 | $4,410 | 60.3 h | 42% | $2,579 | 0.86× |
| Medical Assistant | $49,700 | $3,509 | 76.6 h | 52% | $1,678 | 0.68× |
| Retail Salesperson | $38,470 | $2,758 | 99.0 h | 66% | $927 | 0.53× |
| Fast Food Worker | $37,070 | $2,664 | 102.7 h | 69% | $833 | 0.51× |
HUD rent areas in this metro
| HUD FMR area | Population | 1BR | 2BR |
|---|---|---|---|
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO MSA | 3,002,721 | $1,831 | $2,169 |
HUD treats the whole metro as one rent area.
Sources & method
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 — metropolitan areas — vintage: May 2025 estimates. File:
oesm25ma.zip, retrieved 2026-10-06. - U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD USER), Fair Market Rents, FY2027 — vintage: FY2027 (effective Oct 1, 2026). File:
FY27_FMRs.xlsx, retrieved 2026-10-05. - U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates: Median gross rent (B25064) — vintage: ACS 2020–2024 5-year. File:
acsdt5y2024-b25064.dat, retrieved 2026-10-05. - U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates: Median household income (B19013) — vintage: ACS 2020–2024 5-year. File:
acsdt5y2024-b19013.dat, retrieved 2026-10-05. - Internal Revenue Service, Rev. Proc. 2025-32 (tax year 2026 brackets, $16,100 standard deduction) and SSA's $184,500 wage base, used for the take-home estimate.
Take-home = annual wage − 2026 federal income tax (single filer, standard deduction) − Social Security and Medicare. State and local income taxes are not deducted. Wages are May 2025 estimates; rents are HUD Fair Market Rents FY2027 (effective Oct 1, 2026). Full details on the methodology page. Page data last rebuilt 2026-10-06.