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Introduction
Teachers across Colorado are being priced out of the communities they serve. The latest Keystone Policy Center report on teacher housing builds on our own previous research on the issue to offer new, statewide survey data from more than 3,200 educators in rural, urban, and suburban school districts.
The findings are stark and deeply personal. Teachers are spending unsustainable portions of their income on rent, delaying homeownership indefinitely, commuting long distances, or leaving the profession entirely. Many are watching colleagues exit for jobs in restaurants, car dealerships, or other sectors that simply pay more—costing our schools valuable experience and stability.
In too many communities, teachers can’t live where they teach. Unless districts, policymakers, developers, and communities come together with bold, creative solutions, Colorado will continue to lose talented educators to the housing market.
What the Survey Shows
- 58% of educators surveyed said they were interested in district-provided affordable housing.
- 70% said they would feel comfortable with their school district as their landlord.
- In some districts, over half of educators spend more than 40% of their income on housing—well above the recommended threshold for affordability.
- Even educators who own their homes recognize housing costs as a critical threat to the profession’s future.
The Impact
Behind these statistics are the voices of teachers and school leaders navigating an impossible reality:
- A veteran math teacher in Cortez paying nearly half his salary in rent—even after a raise.
- An administrative assistant in Durango who says she and her husband may have to leave if they can’t find stable, affordable housing.
- International teachers sharing rooms and even beds with strangers just to make ends meet.
Their stories underscore a truth we cannot ignore: housing costs are not just a personal hardship, they are a systemic threat to teacher retention and student success.
Recommendations
Every student deserves a committed, high-quality teacher in the classroom. But without access to affordable housing, districts struggle to hire and keep those educators. As the report makes clear, housing is not just a teacher issue, it’s an education issue, a community issue, and a Colorado issue.
Keystone’s recommendations highlight the need for collaborative solutions:
- Partnering with local governments, developers, and nonprofits to create educator housing.
- Ensuring teacher voices guide housing initiatives.
- Leveraging state-level resources to scale solutions across rural, urban, and mountain communities.
Read the Report
Click here to download the report to explore the survey, read the personal accounts, and see the policy recommendations aimed at helping every teacher in Colorado can afford to live where they teach.
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