Can A Bus Driver Afford Rent in Middletown, DE?

Rent-burdened — rent takes 62% of gross income.

Middletown rent: June 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Delaware state estimate).

Middletown median rent
$2,733/mo
Bus Driver salary (Delaware)
$52,856/yr
Rent as % of income
62%
Gross monthly income works out to about $4,405, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,321/mo in rent. Middletown's median rent of $2,733 exceeds that threshold by $1,412/mo, putting a bus driver salary into the rent-burdened range here. A bus driver works roughly 107.5 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 Delaware cities have lower median rent than Middletown, which improves the affordability math on a bus driver salary:

Rehoboth Beach, DE
$2,623/mo (59.6% of income)
Rehoboth Beach, DE
$2,523/mo (57.3% of income)
Bear, DE
$2,345/mo (53.2% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Middletown

View full rent data for Middletown, DE

Frequently asked questions

Can a bus driver afford rent in Middletown, DE?

Median rent in Middletown is $2,733 a month. A typical bus driver in Delaware earns about $52,856 a year, which makes that rent 62% 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 Middletown?

Using the 30% rule, a bus driver salary in Delaware (~$52,856/yr) supports up to $1,321 a month in rent. Middletown's current median rent is $2,733/mo, which is $1,412/mo over the affordability threshold.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $25 an hour, a bus driver in Delaware works roughly 107.5 hours a month to cover Middletown's median rent of $2,733.

Where is rent cheaper than Middletown for a bus driver?

Nearby Delaware cities with lower median rent include Rehoboth Beach ($2,623/mo), Rehoboth Beach ($2,523/mo), Bear ($2,345/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a bus driver salary.

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