Can A Bus Driver Afford Rent in Barstow, CA?

Comfortably affordable — rent takes 25.9% of gross income.

Barstow rent: June 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (California state estimate).

Barstow median rent
$1,322/mo
Bus Driver salary (California)
$61,148/yr
Rent as % of income
25.9%
Gross monthly income works out to about $5,096, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,529/mo in rent. Barstow's median rent of $1,322 leaves roughly $207/mo of headroom under that threshold. A bus driver works roughly 45 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 California cities have lower median rent than Barstow, which improves the affordability math on a bus driver salary:

Red Bluff, CA
$1,321/mo (25.9% of income)
Red Bluff, CA
$1,316/mo (25.8% of income)
Oroville, CA
$1,315/mo (25.8% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Barstow

View full rent data for Barstow, CA

Frequently asked questions

Can a bus driver afford rent in Barstow, CA?

Median rent in Barstow is $1,322 a month. A typical bus driver in California earns about $61,148 a year, which makes that rent 25.9% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is yes.

How much rent can a bus driver afford in Barstow?

Using the 30% rule, a bus driver salary in California (~$61,148/yr) supports up to $1,529 a month in rent. Barstow's current median rent is $1,322/mo, which leaves a $207/mo buffer.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $29 an hour, a bus driver in California works roughly 45 hours a month to cover Barstow's median rent of $1,322.

Where is rent cheaper than Barstow for a bus driver?

Nearby California cities with lower median rent include Red Bluff ($1,321/mo), Red Bluff ($1,316/mo), Oroville ($1,315/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a bus driver salary.

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