Can A Bus Driver Afford Rent in Taft, CA?

Comfortably affordable — rent takes 24.4% of gross income.

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

Taft median rent
$1,243/mo
Bus Driver salary (California)
$61,148/yr
Rent as % of income
24.4%
Gross monthly income works out to about $5,096, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,529/mo in rent. Taft's median rent of $1,243 leaves roughly $286/mo of headroom under that threshold. A bus driver works roughly 42.3 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 California cities have lower median rent than Taft, which improves the affordability math on a bus driver salary:

Porterville, CA
$1,242/mo (24.4% of income)
Oildale, CA
$1,239/mo (24.3% of income)
Porterville, CA
$1,233/mo (24.2% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Taft

View full rent data for Taft, CA

Frequently asked questions

Can a bus driver afford rent in Taft, CA?

Median rent in Taft is $1,243 a month. A typical bus driver in California earns about $61,148 a year, which makes that rent 24.4% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is yes.

How much rent can a bus driver afford in Taft?

Using the 30% rule, a bus driver salary in California (~$61,148/yr) supports up to $1,529 a month in rent. Taft's current median rent is $1,243/mo, which leaves a $286/mo buffer.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $29 an hour, a bus driver in California works roughly 42.3 hours a month to cover Taft's median rent of $1,243.

Where is rent cheaper than Taft for a bus driver?

Nearby California cities with lower median rent include Porterville ($1,242/mo), Oildale ($1,239/mo), Porterville ($1,233/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 Taft, CA. Affordability applies the 30% rule (rent ≤ 30% of gross income). Real take-home varies with taxes, household composition, overtime, tips, and benefits.