Can A Bus Driver Afford Rent in Homewood, AL?

Rent-burdened — rent takes 44.2% of gross income.

Homewood rent: June 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Alabama state estimate).

Homewood median rent
$1,641/mo
Bus Driver salary (Alabama)
$44,565/yr
Rent as % of income
44.2%
Gross monthly income works out to about $3,714, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,114/mo in rent. Homewood's median rent of $1,641 exceeds that threshold by $527/mo, putting a bus driver salary into the rent-burdened range here. A bus driver works roughly 76.6 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 Homewood, which improves the affordability math on a bus driver salary:

Clay, AL
$1,640/mo (44.2% of income)
Toney, AL
$1,638/mo (44.1% of income)
Calera, AL
$1,637/mo (44.1% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Homewood

View full rent data for Homewood, AL

Frequently asked questions

Can a bus driver afford rent in Homewood, AL?

Median rent in Homewood is $1,641 a month. A typical bus driver in Alabama earns about $44,565 a year, which makes that rent 44.2% 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 Homewood?

Using the 30% rule, a bus driver salary in Alabama (~$44,565/yr) supports up to $1,114 a month in rent. Homewood's current median rent is $1,641/mo, which is $527/mo over the affordability threshold.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $21 an hour, a bus driver in Alabama works roughly 76.6 hours a month to cover Homewood's median rent of $1,641.

Where is rent cheaper than Homewood for a bus driver?

Nearby Alabama cities with lower median rent include Clay ($1,640/mo), Toney ($1,638/mo), Calera ($1,637/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 Homewood, AL. Affordability applies the 30% rule (rent ≤ 30% of gross income). Real take-home varies with taxes, household composition, overtime, tips, and benefits.