Can A Bus Driver Afford Rent in Bartow, FL?

Rent-burdened — rent takes 42.7% of gross income.

Bartow rent: June 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Florida state estimate).

Bartow median rent
$1,713/mo
Bus Driver salary (Florida)
$48,193/yr
Rent as % of income
42.7%
Gross monthly income works out to about $4,016, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,205/mo in rent. Bartow's median rent of $1,713 exceeds that threshold by $508/mo, putting a bus driver salary into the rent-burdened range here. A bus driver works roughly 73.9 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 Florida cities have lower median rent than Bartow, which improves the affordability math on a bus driver salary:

Dunnellon, FL
$1,712/mo (42.6% of income)
Dunnellon, FL
$1,712/mo (42.6% of income)
Oxford, FL
$1,712/mo (42.6% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Bartow

View full rent data for Bartow, FL

Frequently asked questions

Can a bus driver afford rent in Bartow, FL?

Median rent in Bartow is $1,713 a month. A typical bus driver in Florida earns about $48,193 a year, which makes that rent 42.7% 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 Bartow?

Using the 30% rule, a bus driver salary in Florida (~$48,193/yr) supports up to $1,205 a month in rent. Bartow's current median rent is $1,713/mo, which is $508/mo over the affordability threshold.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $23 an hour, a bus driver in Florida works roughly 73.9 hours a month to cover Bartow's median rent of $1,713.

Where is rent cheaper than Bartow for a bus driver?

Nearby Florida cities with lower median rent include Dunnellon ($1,712/mo), Dunnellon ($1,712/mo), Oxford ($1,712/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a bus driver salary.

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