Rent Affordability for Bus Drivers in the US
As of May 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024. Rent: ZORI monthly.
National avg salary
$51,820/yr
Gross monthly
$4,318
Affordable rent (30% rule)
$1,296/mo
Transit bus driver pay sits near the US median household income, with municipal and unionized routes often paying more. At the national-average bus driver salary, the 30% rule supports about $1,296 a month in rent.
Where rent is most affordable: states with the highest bus driver pay
| State | Avg salary | Affordable rent | |
|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $64,775/yr | $1,619/mo | View cities › |
| California | $61,148/yr | $1,529/mo | View cities › |
| Massachusetts | $60,111/yr | $1,503/mo | View cities › |
| New York | $59,075/yr | $1,477/mo | View cities › |
| Alaska | $58,038/yr | $1,451/mo | View cities › |
| New Jersey | $58,038/yr | $1,451/mo | View cities › |
| Washington | $58,038/yr | $1,451/mo | View cities › |
| Connecticut | $57,002/yr | $1,425/mo | View cities › |
| Hawaii | $55,966/yr | $1,399/mo | View cities › |
| Maryland | $55,966/yr | $1,399/mo | View cities › |
Where rent stretches the salary furthest: states with the lowest bus driver pay
| State | Avg salary | Affordable rent | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mississippi | $41,974/yr | $1,049/mo | View cities › |
| Arkansas | $43,011/yr | $1,075/mo | View cities › |
| West Virginia | $44,047/yr | $1,101/mo | View cities › |
| Alabama | $44,565/yr | $1,114/mo | View cities › |
| Louisiana | $45,083/yr | $1,127/mo | View cities › |
| South Dakota | $45,602/yr | $1,140/mo | View cities › |
| South Carolina | $45,602/yr | $1,140/mo | View cities › |
| Oklahoma | $45,602/yr | $1,140/mo | View cities › |
| Montana | $45,602/yr | $1,140/mo | View cities › |
| Kentucky | $45,602/yr | $1,140/mo | View cities › |
All states
District of ColumbiaCaliforniaMassachusettsNew YorkAlaskaNew JerseyWashingtonConnecticutHawaiiMarylandColoradoMinnesotaOregonRhode IslandNew HampshireDelawareIllinoisVirginiaPennsylvaniaTexasArizonaNevadaNorth DakotaVermontMichiganUtahGeorgiaWisconsinNorth CarolinaOhioWyomingFloridaMaineNebraskaIndianaIowaMissouriTennesseeKansasNew MexicoIdahoKentuckyMontanaOklahomaSouth CarolinaSouth DakotaLouisianaAlabamaWest VirginiaArkansasMississippi
Frequently asked questions
Can a bus driver afford rent in their service area?
In most lower- and mid-cost US metros, yes. In high-cost coastal cities, transit-driver pay alone is typically rent-burdened, which is the affordability gap that has prompted housing programs from several transit agencies.
What rent can a bus driver afford?
At the BLS national mean of $51,820, the 30% rule supports about $1,296 a month in rent.