Can A Bus Driver Afford Rent in Buffalo Grove, IL?

Rent-burdened — rent takes 54.8% of gross income.

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

Buffalo Grove median rent
$2,413/mo
Bus Driver salary (Illinois)
$52,856/yr
Rent as % of income
54.8%
Gross monthly income works out to about $4,405, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,321/mo in rent. Buffalo Grove's median rent of $2,413 exceeds that threshold by $1,092/mo, putting a bus driver salary into the rent-burdened range here. A bus driver works roughly 95 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 Buffalo Grove, which improves the affordability math on a bus driver salary:

Chicago, IL
$2,409/mo (54.7% of income)
Downers Grove, IL
$2,408/mo (54.7% of income)
Barrington, IL
$2,407/mo (54.6% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Buffalo Grove

View full rent data for Buffalo Grove, IL

Frequently asked questions

Can a bus driver afford rent in Buffalo Grove, IL?

Median rent in Buffalo Grove is $2,413 a month. A typical bus driver in Illinois earns about $52,856 a year, which makes that rent 54.8% 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 Buffalo Grove?

Using the 30% rule, a bus driver salary in Illinois (~$52,856/yr) supports up to $1,321 a month in rent. Buffalo Grove's current median rent is $2,413/mo, which is $1,092/mo over the affordability threshold.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $25 an hour, a bus driver in Illinois works roughly 95 hours a month to cover Buffalo Grove's median rent of $2,413.

Where is rent cheaper than Buffalo Grove for a bus driver?

Nearby Illinois cities with lower median rent include Chicago ($2,409/mo), Downers Grove ($2,408/mo), Barrington ($2,407/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 Buffalo Grove, IL. Affordability applies the 30% rule (rent ≤ 30% of gross income). Real take-home varies with taxes, household composition, overtime, tips, and benefits.