Can A Bus Driver Afford Rent in Garden City, ID?

Rent-burdened — rent takes 48.3% of gross income.

Garden City rent: June 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Idaho state estimate).

Garden City median rent
$1,855/mo
Bus Driver salary (Idaho)
$46,120/yr
Rent as % of income
48.3%
Gross monthly income works out to about $3,843, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,153/mo in rent. Garden City's median rent of $1,855 exceeds that threshold by $702/mo, putting a bus driver salary into the rent-burdened range here. A bus driver works roughly 83.7 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 Idaho cities have lower median rent than Garden City, which improves the affordability math on a bus driver salary:

Kuna, ID
$1,819/mo (47.3% of income)
Boise, ID
$1,808/mo (47% of income)
Coeur d'Alene, ID
$1,807/mo (47% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Garden City

View full rent data for Garden City, ID

Frequently asked questions

Can a bus driver afford rent in Garden City, ID?

Median rent in Garden City is $1,855 a month. A typical bus driver in Idaho earns about $46,120 a year, which makes that rent 48.3% 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 Garden City?

Using the 30% rule, a bus driver salary in Idaho (~$46,120/yr) supports up to $1,153 a month in rent. Garden City's current median rent is $1,855/mo, which is $702/mo over the affordability threshold.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $22 an hour, a bus driver in Idaho works roughly 83.7 hours a month to cover Garden City's median rent of $1,855.

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

Nearby Idaho cities with lower median rent include Kuna ($1,819/mo), Boise ($1,808/mo), Coeur d'Alene ($1,807/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a bus driver salary.

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