Can A Bus Driver Afford Rent in Dakota Ridge, CO?

Stretched but workable — rent takes 38.1% of gross income.

Dakota Ridge rent: February 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Colorado state estimate).

Dakota Ridge median rent
$1,727/mo
Bus Driver salary (Colorado)
$54,411/yr
Rent as % of income
38.1%
Gross monthly income works out to about $4,534, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,360/mo in rent. Dakota Ridge's median rent of $1,727 exceeds that threshold by $367/mo, putting a bus driver salary into the rent-burdened range here. A bus driver works roughly 66 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 Colorado cities have lower median rent than Dakota Ridge, which improves the affordability math on a bus driver salary:

Evans, CO
$1,724/mo (38% of income)
Brighton, CO
$1,723/mo (38% of income)
Colorado Springs, CO
$1,723/mo (38% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Dakota Ridge

View full rent data for Dakota Ridge, CO

Frequently asked questions

Can a bus driver afford rent in Dakota Ridge, CO?

Median rent in Dakota Ridge is $1,727 a month. A typical bus driver in Colorado earns about $54,411 a year, which makes that rent 38.1% 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 Dakota Ridge?

Using the 30% rule, a bus driver salary in Colorado (~$54,411/yr) supports up to $1,360 a month in rent. Dakota Ridge's current median rent is $1,727/mo, which is $367/mo over the affordability threshold.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $26 an hour, a bus driver in Colorado works roughly 66 hours a month to cover Dakota Ridge's median rent of $1,727.

Where is rent cheaper than Dakota Ridge for a bus driver?

Nearby Colorado cities with lower median rent include Evans ($1,724/mo), Brighton ($1,723/mo), Colorado Springs ($1,723/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a bus driver salary.

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