Can A Bus Driver Afford Rent in Ridgecrest, CA?
Comfortably affordable — rent takes 23.6% of gross income.
Ridgecrest rent: June 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (California state estimate).
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 Ridgecrest, which improves the affordability math on a bus driver salary:
Compare with full rent data for Ridgecrest
View full rent data for Ridgecrest, CA →Frequently asked questions
Can a bus driver afford rent in Ridgecrest, CA?
Median rent in Ridgecrest is $1,204 a month. A typical bus driver in California earns about $61,148 a year, which makes that rent 23.6% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is yes.
How much rent can a bus driver afford in Ridgecrest?
Using the 30% rule, a bus driver salary in California (~$61,148/yr) supports up to $1,529 a month in rent. Ridgecrest's current median rent is $1,204/mo, which leaves a $325/mo buffer.
How many hours does a bus driver work to cover rent in Ridgecrest?
At an hourly equivalent of about $29 an hour, a bus driver in California works roughly 41 hours a month to cover Ridgecrest's median rent of $1,204.
Where is rent cheaper than Ridgecrest for a bus driver?
Nearby California cities with lower median rent include Redding ($1,202/mo), Taft ($1,201/mo), Porterville ($1,201/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a bus driver salary.