Can A Bus Driver Afford Rent in Sioux City, IA?

Stretched but workable — rent takes 30.6% of gross income.

Sioux City rent: June 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Iowa state estimate).

Sioux City median rent
$1,216/mo
Bus Driver salary (Iowa)
$47,674/yr
Rent as % of income
30.6%
Gross monthly income works out to about $3,973, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,192/mo in rent. Sioux City's median rent of $1,216 exceeds that threshold by $24/mo, putting a bus driver salary into the rent-burdened range here. A bus driver works roughly 53.1 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 Iowa cities have lower median rent than Sioux City, which improves the affordability math on a bus driver salary:

Pleasant Hill, IA
$1,215/mo (30.6% of income)
Pleasant Hill, IA
$1,213/mo (30.5% of income)
Council Bluffs, IA
$1,212/mo (30.5% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Sioux City

View full rent data for Sioux City, IA

Frequently asked questions

Can a bus driver afford rent in Sioux City, IA?

Median rent in Sioux City is $1,216 a month. A typical bus driver in Iowa earns about $47,674 a year, which makes that rent 30.6% 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 Sioux City?

Using the 30% rule, a bus driver salary in Iowa (~$47,674/yr) supports up to $1,192 a month in rent. Sioux City's current median rent is $1,216/mo, which is $24/mo over the affordability threshold.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $23 an hour, a bus driver in Iowa works roughly 53.1 hours a month to cover Sioux City's median rent of $1,216.

Where is rent cheaper than Sioux City for a bus driver?

Nearby Iowa cities with lower median rent include Pleasant Hill ($1,215/mo), Pleasant Hill ($1,213/mo), Council Bluffs ($1,212/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 Sioux City, IA. Affordability applies the 30% rule (rent ≤ 30% of gross income). Real take-home varies with taxes, household composition, overtime, tips, and benefits.