Can A Bus Driver Afford Rent in Montrose, CO?

Rent-burdened — rent takes 44.7% of gross income.

Montrose rent: June 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Colorado state estimate).

Montrose median rent
$2,027/mo
Bus Driver salary (Colorado)
$54,411/yr
Rent as % of income
44.7%
Gross monthly income works out to about $4,534, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,360/mo in rent. Montrose's median rent of $2,027 exceeds that threshold by $667/mo, putting a bus driver salary into the rent-burdened range here. A bus driver works roughly 77.5 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 Colorado cities have lower median rent than Montrose, which improves the affordability math on a bus driver salary:

Fountain, CO
$2,026/mo (44.7% of income)
Fountain, CO
$2,026/mo (44.7% of income)
Durango, CO
$2,026/mo (44.7% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Montrose

View full rent data for Montrose, CO

Frequently asked questions

Can a bus driver afford rent in Montrose, CO?

Median rent in Montrose is $2,027 a month. A typical bus driver in Colorado earns about $54,411 a year, which makes that rent 44.7% 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 Montrose?

Using the 30% rule, a bus driver salary in Colorado (~$54,411/yr) supports up to $1,360 a month in rent. Montrose's current median rent is $2,027/mo, which is $667/mo over the affordability threshold.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $26 an hour, a bus driver in Colorado works roughly 77.5 hours a month to cover Montrose's median rent of $2,027.

Where is rent cheaper than Montrose for a bus driver?

Nearby Colorado cities with lower median rent include Fountain ($2,026/mo), Fountain ($2,026/mo), Durango ($2,026/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 Montrose, CO. Affordability applies the 30% rule (rent ≤ 30% of gross income). Real take-home varies with taxes, household composition, overtime, tips, and benefits.