Colorado · Census, HUD and BEA figures · Updated

Cost of Living in Aurora, CO

Prices around Aurora, CO run 5.8% above the U.S. average (BEA, the metro area). The typical household there earns $88,368 a year, and HUD puts a two-bedroom at $2,089 a month. Keeping that rent under 30% of income takes about $83,560 a year.

Aurora, CO at a glance

Median household income

$88,368$7,364 per month · U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year
2-bedroom rent$2,089HUD FY2026 Fair Market Rent
Price level (U.S. = 100)105.8+5.8% · BEA, the metro area
Electricity17.1¢per kWh · EIA Residential CO
Population394,432Census ACS 5-year estimate

How much rent can you afford in Aurora, CO?

HUD’s fair market rent for each size, against what a typical household here earns. Change the income to see yours.

Affordable (< 30% of income)
HUD Fair Market Rent$2,089Monthly market rent
Share of gross income28.4%Recommended max: 30%
Annual income needed$83,560To meet the 30% standard
Max affordable rent$2,209At 30% of $88,368
0%30% (Affordability standard)100%
Compare against:

How much is rent in Aurora, CO? By bedroom, 2026

HUD's fiscal 2026 Fair Market Rents for Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO MSA, with the income each one takes if rent stays under 30% of it.

HUD Fair Market Rent in Aurora, CO, fiscal 2026
Unit SizeMonthly RentAnnual Rent30% Rule Min. Income% of Median Income
Studio / Efficiency$1,643$19,716$65,72022.3%
1-Bedroom Apartment$1,754$21,048$70,16023.8%
2-Bedroom ApartmentBenchmark$2,089$25,068$83,56028.4%
3-Bedroom Home$2,734$32,808$109,36037.1%
4-Bedroom Home$3,049$36,588$121,96041.4%

Rent in Aurora, CO, with the wage each unit needs →

What a typical income covers in Aurora, CO

The 50/30/20 rule applied to the local median of $88,368 a year ($7,364 a month before tax).

Needs (50%)$3,682/moRent ($2,089 2-BR), utilities (~$154/mo), groceries, transit
Wants (30%)$2,209/moEating out, travel, subscriptions and the rest
Savings and debt (20%)$1,473/moEmergency fund, retirement, paying down loans

What $88,368 leaves after Colorado taxes

Federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare and Colorado tax on the local median income. Change the salary to see yours.

$88,368
$35,000$180,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$88,368
Net 77%
Fed 12%
CO 4%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$67,817After all taxes
Monthly deposit$5,651Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$2,608Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate23.3%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$10,611 / yr
Colorado state income tax$3,180 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$6,760 / yr

Living in Aurora, CO: common questions

What is the median household income in Aurora, CO?

According to the latest U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year survey, the median household income in Aurora, CO is $88,368 per year (approximately $7,364 per month).

What is the average rent in Aurora, CO?

The closest official figure is HUD's Fair Market Rent for 2026: $1,643 for a studio, $1,754 for one bedroom, $2,089 for two, $2,734 for three and $3,049 for four, utilities included.

It is not an average of listings. HUD sets it at the rent 40% of recent movers paid or less for a standard unit, so a new lease on a nicer place will usually cost more.

Is Aurora, CO expensive to live in?

Prices there run 5.8% above the U.S. average. BEA's regional price parity for the metro area is 105.8, where the U.S. is 100. Rent moves the number most: housing is where places differ, while goods cost about the same everywhere.

How much do you need to earn to comfortably afford rent in Aurora, CO?

To keep a $2,089 two-bedroom under 30% of gross income, a household needs about $83,560 a year, or $6,963 a month. That is 95% of what the typical household in Aurora, CO earns.

How much do you need to live comfortably in Aurora, CO?

On the local median income of $88,368 ($7,364 a month before tax), the 50/30/20 rule leaves $3,682 a month for needs like rent, utilities and groceries, $2,209 for everything else and $1,473 for savings or debt. A two-bedroom at $2,089 takes 57% of the needs share.

How much is the electric bill in Aurora, CO?

Homes in Colorado paid 17.1¢ per kWh on average (EIA). At 900 kWh a month, a typical use, that is about $154. Your bill depends mostly on heating and cooling.