Can A Bus Driver Afford Rent in Palm Beach, FL?

Rent-burdened — rent takes 224.1% of gross income.

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

Palm Beach median rent
$8,999/mo
Bus Driver salary (Florida)
$48,193/yr
Rent as % of income
224.1%
Gross monthly income works out to about $4,016, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,205/mo in rent. Palm Beach's median rent of $8,999 exceeds that threshold by $7,794/mo, putting a bus driver salary into the rent-burdened range here. A bus driver works roughly 388.4 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 Palm Beach, which improves the affordability math on a bus driver salary:

Key Biscayne, FL
$8,551/mo (212.9% of income)
Bal Harbour, FL
$8,444/mo (210.3% of income)
Bal Harbour, FL
$8,374/mo (208.5% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Palm Beach

View full rent data for Palm Beach, FL

Frequently asked questions

Can a bus driver afford rent in Palm Beach, FL?

Median rent in Palm Beach is $8,999 a month. A typical bus driver in Florida earns about $48,193 a year, which makes that rent 224.1% 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 Palm Beach?

Using the 30% rule, a bus driver salary in Florida (~$48,193/yr) supports up to $1,205 a month in rent. Palm Beach's current median rent is $8,999/mo, which is $7,794/mo over the affordability threshold.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $23 an hour, a bus driver in Florida works roughly 388.4 hours a month to cover Palm Beach's median rent of $8,999.

Where is rent cheaper than Palm Beach for a bus driver?

Nearby Florida cities with lower median rent include Key Biscayne ($8,551/mo), Bal Harbour ($8,444/mo), Bal Harbour ($8,374/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 Palm Beach, FL. Affordability applies the 30% rule (rent ≤ 30% of gross income). Real take-home varies with taxes, household composition, overtime, tips, and benefits.