Can A Bus Driver Afford Rent in Barling, AR?

Stretched but workable — rent takes 30.5% of gross income.

Barling rent: July 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Arkansas state estimate).

Barling median rent
$1,092/mo
Bus Driver salary (Arkansas)
$43,011/yr
Rent as % of income
30.5%
Gross monthly income works out to about $3,584, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,075/mo in rent. Barling's median rent of $1,092 exceeds that threshold by $17/mo, putting a bus driver salary into the rent-burdened range here. A bus driver works roughly 52.8 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 Arkansas cities have lower median rent than Barling, which improves the affordability math on a bus driver salary:

Sherwood, AR
$1,091/mo (30.4% of income)
Mountain Home, AR
$1,086/mo (30.3% of income)
Mountain Home, AR
$1,084/mo (30.2% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Barling

View full rent data for Barling, AR

Frequently asked questions

Can a bus driver afford rent in Barling, AR?

Median rent in Barling is $1,092 a month. A typical bus driver in Arkansas earns about $43,011 a year, which makes that rent 30.5% 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 Barling?

Using the 30% rule, a bus driver salary in Arkansas (~$43,011/yr) supports up to $1,075 a month in rent. Barling's current median rent is $1,092/mo, which is $17/mo over the affordability threshold.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $21 an hour, a bus driver in Arkansas works roughly 52.8 hours a month to cover Barling's median rent of $1,092.

Where is rent cheaper than Barling for a bus driver?

Nearby Arkansas cities with lower median rent include Sherwood ($1,091/mo), Mountain Home ($1,086/mo), Mountain Home ($1,084/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a bus driver salary.

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