Can A Bus Driver Afford Rent in El Mirage, AZ?

Rent-burdened — rent takes 45.3% of gross income.

El Mirage rent: September 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Arizona state estimate).

El Mirage median rent
$1,897/mo
Bus Driver salary (Arizona)
$50,265/yr
Rent as % of income
45.3%
Gross monthly income works out to about $4,189, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,257/mo in rent. El Mirage's median rent of $1,897 exceeds that threshold by $640/mo, putting a bus driver salary into the rent-burdened range here. A bus driver works roughly 78.5 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 El Mirage, which improves the affordability math on a bus driver salary:

Paradise Valley, AZ
$1,896/mo (45.3% of income)
Sahuarita, AZ
$1,894/mo (45.2% of income)
Chandler, AZ
$1,893/mo (45.2% of income)

Compare with full rent data for El Mirage

View full rent data for El Mirage, AZ →

Frequently asked questions

Can a bus driver afford rent in El Mirage, AZ?

Median rent in El Mirage is $1,897 a month. A typical bus driver in Arizona earns about $50,265 a year, which makes that rent 45.3% 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 El Mirage?

Using the 30% rule, a bus driver salary in Arizona (~$50,265/yr) supports up to $1,257 a month in rent. El Mirage's current median rent is $1,897/mo, which is $640/mo over the affordability threshold.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $24 an hour, a bus driver in Arizona works roughly 78.5 hours a month to cover El Mirage's median rent of $1,897.

Where is rent cheaper than El Mirage for a bus driver?

Nearby Arizona cities with lower median rent include Paradise Valley ($1,896/mo), Sahuarita ($1,894/mo), Chandler ($1,893/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 El Mirage, AZ. Affordability applies the 30% rule (rent ≤ 30% of gross income). Real take-home varies with taxes, household composition, overtime, tips, and benefits.