Can A Bus Driver Afford Rent in Gulf Shores, AL?

Rent-burdened — rent takes 47.1% of gross income.

Gulf Shores rent: July 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Alabama state estimate).

Gulf Shores median rent
$1,751/mo
Bus Driver salary (Alabama)
$44,565/yr
Rent as % of income
47.1%
Gross monthly income works out to about $3,714, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,114/mo in rent. Gulf Shores's median rent of $1,751 exceeds that threshold by $637/mo, putting a bus driver salary into the rent-burdened range here. A bus driver works roughly 81.7 hours a month to cover that rent.

About rent and a bus driver salary

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.

Cheaper rent nearby

These Alabama cities have lower median rent than Gulf Shores, which improves the affordability math on a bus driver salary:

Margaret, AL
$1,750/mo (47.1% of income)
Pelham, AL
$1,750/mo (47.1% of income)
Margaret, AL
$1,749/mo (47.1% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Gulf Shores

View full rent data for Gulf Shores, AL

Frequently asked questions

Can a bus driver afford rent in Gulf Shores, AL?

Median rent in Gulf Shores is $1,751 a month. A typical bus driver in Alabama earns about $44,565 a year, which makes that rent 47.1% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is no — rent exceeds the 30% threshold.

How much rent can a bus driver afford in Gulf Shores?

Using the 30% rule, a bus driver salary in Alabama (~$44,565/yr) supports up to $1,114 a month in rent. Gulf Shores's current median rent is $1,751/mo, which is $637/mo over the affordability threshold.

How many hours does a bus driver work to cover rent in Gulf Shores?

At an hourly equivalent of about $21 an hour, a bus driver in Alabama works roughly 81.7 hours a month to cover Gulf Shores's median rent of $1,751.

Where is rent cheaper than Gulf Shores for a bus driver?

Nearby Alabama cities with lower median rent include Margaret ($1,750/mo), Pelham ($1,750/mo), Margaret ($1,749/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a bus driver salary.

Methodology: Salary uses the BLS-derived Alabama state estimate from OEWS May 2024. Rent is the most recent ZORI monthly value for Gulf Shores, AL. Affordability applies the 30% rule (rent ≤ 30% of gross income). Real take-home varies with taxes, household composition, overtime, tips, and benefits.