Can A Bus Driver Afford Rent in Kapolei, HI?

Rent-burdened — rent takes 73.3% of gross income.

Kapolei rent: June 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Hawaii state estimate).

Kapolei median rent
$3,420/mo
Bus Driver salary (Hawaii)
$55,966/yr
Rent as % of income
73.3%
Gross monthly income works out to about $4,664, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,399/mo in rent. Kapolei's median rent of $3,420 exceeds that threshold by $2,021/mo, putting a bus driver salary into the rent-burdened range here. A bus driver works roughly 127.1 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 Hawaii cities have lower median rent than Kapolei, which improves the affordability math on a bus driver salary:

Waialua, HI
$3,407/mo (73.1% of income)
Wailuku, HI
$3,395/mo (72.8% of income)
Haleiwa, HI
$3,387/mo (72.6% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Kapolei

View full rent data for Kapolei, HI

Frequently asked questions

Can a bus driver afford rent in Kapolei, HI?

Median rent in Kapolei is $3,420 a month. A typical bus driver in Hawaii earns about $55,966 a year, which makes that rent 73.3% 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 Kapolei?

Using the 30% rule, a bus driver salary in Hawaii (~$55,966/yr) supports up to $1,399 a month in rent. Kapolei's current median rent is $3,420/mo, which is $2,021/mo over the affordability threshold.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $27 an hour, a bus driver in Hawaii works roughly 127.1 hours a month to cover Kapolei's median rent of $3,420.

Where is rent cheaper than Kapolei for a bus driver?

Nearby Hawaii cities with lower median rent include Waialua ($3,407/mo), Wailuku ($3,395/mo), Haleiwa ($3,387/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a bus driver salary.

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