Can A Bus Driver Afford Rent in Pleasant Hill, IA?

Stretched but workable — rent takes 33.4% of gross income.

Pleasant Hill rent: July 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Iowa state estimate).

Pleasant Hill median rent
$1,325/mo
Bus Driver salary (Iowa)
$47,674/yr
Rent as % of income
33.4%
Gross monthly income works out to about $3,973, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,192/mo in rent. Pleasant Hill's median rent of $1,325 exceeds that threshold by $133/mo, putting a bus driver salary into the rent-burdened range here. A bus driver works roughly 57.8 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 Iowa cities have lower median rent than Pleasant Hill, which improves the affordability math on a bus driver salary:

West Des Moines, IA
$1,324/mo (33.3% of income)
Bettendorf, IA
$1,324/mo (33.3% of income)
Iowa City, IA
$1,323/mo (33.3% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Pleasant Hill

View full rent data for Pleasant Hill, IA

Frequently asked questions

Can a bus driver afford rent in Pleasant Hill, IA?

Median rent in Pleasant Hill is $1,325 a month. A typical bus driver in Iowa earns about $47,674 a year, which makes that rent 33.4% 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 Pleasant Hill?

Using the 30% rule, a bus driver salary in Iowa (~$47,674/yr) supports up to $1,192 a month in rent. Pleasant Hill's current median rent is $1,325/mo, which is $133/mo over the affordability threshold.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $23 an hour, a bus driver in Iowa works roughly 57.8 hours a month to cover Pleasant Hill's median rent of $1,325.

Where is rent cheaper than Pleasant Hill for a bus driver?

Nearby Iowa cities with lower median rent include West Des Moines ($1,324/mo), Bettendorf ($1,324/mo), Iowa City ($1,323/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a bus driver salary.

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