$60,000 in Colorado
Household income percentile, occupation comparison, and lifestyle context for Colorado.
Occupations near $60,000 (single earner)
BLS national median wages within ±15% of $60,000 — gives texture for which careers and seniorities land at this income level.
| Occupation | Stage | National wage |
|---|---|---|
| Plumber | mid-career | $61,550 |
| Electrician | mid-career | $62,350 |
| Firefighter | mid-career | $57,120 |
| Elementary teacher | mid-career | $63,680 |
| Customer service rep | senior | $56,000 |
| Office clerk | senior | $56,000 |
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2024. National medians; metro/state variance can be ±30%. Career stage estimates: entry ≈ 25th pct, senior ≈ 75th pct of the same SOC code.
Single earner vs two-earner household
One earner pulling $60,000 typically means a plumber or comparable role. Above-median earner status in Colorado.
Two earners at $30,000 each combined = $60,000. Each individual is below median individually, but the household lands at the same percentile as a single $60,000 earner.
Lifestyle context — rent burden in Colorado
At $60,000 gross, statewide median rent eats 35% of income — HUD-defined cost-burdened. Metro areas (LA, SF, NYC, Boston, Seattle) typically run 30-50% above the statewide median.
Home affordability at $60,000
Using the 28% rule on a 30-year mortgage, $60,000 gross supports a home purchase up to about $161,888. Colorado median home value is $506,600 — you can afford 32% of the median home, so buying requires lower-priced markets, a larger down payment, or co-buying.
How $60,000 ranks in neighboring states
State-adjusted percentile shows the same income placed in Colorado's contiguous neighbors. Relevant for relocation, remote-work geography, or border-town decisions.
| State | Median HH | % vs median | Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| Colorado (current) | $92,911 | -35% | 35th |
| New Mexico | $62,268 | -4% | 49th |
| Oklahoma | $63,603 | -6% | 48th |
| Kansas | $73,040 | -18% | 43th |
| Wyoming | $74,815 | -20% | 42th |
| Nebraska | $76,079 | -21% | 42th |
| Arizona | $76,872 | -22% | 41th |
| Utah | $93,421 | -36% | 35th |
$60,000 ranks similarly in
Other incomes in Colorado
Common questions
- Is $60,000 a good household income in Colorado?
- It's at roughly the 35th percentile for Colorado after adjusting for the state's median income ($92,911). Nationally that's about the 40th percentile. Whether "good" depends on household size, debt, and metro cost of living — Census medians smooth over big within-state variation.
- How does $60,000 compare to the Colorado median?
- It's 35% below the Colorado median household income of $92,911 (Census ACS 2023, table B19013). Half of Colorado households earn less than $92,911, half earn more.
- Why does this number differ from other percentile calculators?
- Two sources of variation: (1) some calculators use individual income, not household — household income is typically higher because it combines earners. (2) Some use single-year ACS, others use 5-year averages. We use ACS 2023 1-year B19080 for the national distribution and adjust by state median ratio.
Full data sources and formulas: /sources.