Can A Bus Driver Afford Rent in Cottonwood, AZ?

Rent-burdened — rent takes 46.3% of gross income.

Cottonwood rent: June 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Arizona state estimate).

Cottonwood median rent
$1,940/mo
Bus Driver salary (Arizona)
$50,265/yr
Rent as % of income
46.3%
Gross monthly income works out to about $4,189, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,257/mo in rent. Cottonwood's median rent of $1,940 exceeds that threshold by $683/mo, putting a bus driver salary into the rent-burdened range here. A bus driver works roughly 80.3 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 Arizona cities have lower median rent than Cottonwood, which improves the affordability math on a bus driver salary:

Vail, AZ
$1,937/mo (46.2% of income)
Surprise, AZ
$1,935/mo (46.2% of income)
Sahuarita, AZ
$1,935/mo (46.2% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Cottonwood

View full rent data for Cottonwood, AZ

Frequently asked questions

Can a bus driver afford rent in Cottonwood, AZ?

Median rent in Cottonwood is $1,940 a month. A typical bus driver in Arizona earns about $50,265 a year, which makes that rent 46.3% 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 Cottonwood?

Using the 30% rule, a bus driver salary in Arizona (~$50,265/yr) supports up to $1,257 a month in rent. Cottonwood's current median rent is $1,940/mo, which is $683/mo over the affordability threshold.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $24 an hour, a bus driver in Arizona works roughly 80.3 hours a month to cover Cottonwood's median rent of $1,940.

Where is rent cheaper than Cottonwood for a bus driver?

Nearby Arizona cities with lower median rent include Vail ($1,937/mo), Surprise ($1,935/mo), Sahuarita ($1,935/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a bus driver salary.

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