Can A Bus Driver Afford Rent in Batavia, IL?

Rent-burdened — rent takes 40.3% of gross income.

Batavia rent: July 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Illinois state estimate).

Batavia median rent
$1,774/mo
Bus Driver salary (Illinois)
$52,856/yr
Rent as % of income
40.3%
Gross monthly income works out to about $4,405, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,321/mo in rent. Batavia's median rent of $1,774 exceeds that threshold by $453/mo, putting a bus driver salary into the rent-burdened range here. A bus driver works roughly 69.8 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 Illinois cities have lower median rent than Batavia, which improves the affordability math on a bus driver salary:

Elgin, IL
$1,773/mo (40.3% of income)
Mount Prospect, IL
$1,772/mo (40.2% of income)
Mount Prospect, IL
$1,772/mo (40.2% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Batavia

View full rent data for Batavia, IL

Frequently asked questions

Can a bus driver afford rent in Batavia, IL?

Median rent in Batavia is $1,774 a month. A typical bus driver in Illinois earns about $52,856 a year, which makes that rent 40.3% 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 Batavia?

Using the 30% rule, a bus driver salary in Illinois (~$52,856/yr) supports up to $1,321 a month in rent. Batavia's current median rent is $1,774/mo, which is $453/mo over the affordability threshold.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $25 an hour, a bus driver in Illinois works roughly 69.8 hours a month to cover Batavia's median rent of $1,774.

Where is rent cheaper than Batavia for a bus driver?

Nearby Illinois cities with lower median rent include Elgin ($1,773/mo), Mount Prospect ($1,772/mo), Mount Prospect ($1,772/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a bus driver salary.

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