Can A Bus Driver Afford Rent in Sterling, CO?

Comfortably affordable — rent takes 23.6% of gross income.

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

Sterling median rent
$1,070/mo
Bus Driver salary (Colorado)
$54,411/yr
Rent as % of income
23.6%
Gross monthly income works out to about $4,534, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,360/mo in rent. Sterling's median rent of $1,070 leaves roughly $290/mo of headroom under that threshold. A bus driver works roughly 40.9 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 Sterling, which improves the affordability math on a bus driver salary:

Pueblo, CO
$1,062/mo (23.4% of income)
Pueblo, CO
$959/mo (21.2% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Sterling

View full rent data for Sterling, CO

Frequently asked questions

Can a bus driver afford rent in Sterling, CO?

Median rent in Sterling is $1,070 a month. A typical bus driver in Colorado earns about $54,411 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 Sterling?

Using the 30% rule, a bus driver salary in Colorado (~$54,411/yr) supports up to $1,360 a month in rent. Sterling's current median rent is $1,070/mo, which leaves a $290/mo buffer.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $26 an hour, a bus driver in Colorado works roughly 40.9 hours a month to cover Sterling's median rent of $1,070.

Where is rent cheaper than Sterling for a bus driver?

Nearby Colorado cities with lower median rent include Pueblo ($1,062/mo), Pueblo ($959/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 Sterling, CO. Affordability applies the 30% rule (rent ≤ 30% of gross income). Real take-home varies with taxes, household composition, overtime, tips, and benefits.