Can A Bus Driver Afford Rent in Carbondale, IL?
Comfortably affordable — rent takes 17% of gross income.
Carbondale rent: June 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Illinois state estimate).
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 Carbondale, which improves the affordability math on a bus driver salary:
Compare with full rent data for Carbondale
View full rent data for Carbondale, IL →Frequently asked questions
Can a bus driver afford rent in Carbondale, IL?
Median rent in Carbondale is $749 a month. A typical bus driver in Illinois earns about $52,856 a year, which makes that rent 17% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is yes.
How much rent can a bus driver afford in Carbondale?
Using the 30% rule, a bus driver salary in Illinois (~$52,856/yr) supports up to $1,321 a month in rent. Carbondale's current median rent is $749/mo, which leaves a $572/mo buffer.
How many hours does a bus driver work to cover rent in Carbondale?
At an hourly equivalent of about $25 an hour, a bus driver in Illinois works roughly 29.5 hours a month to cover Carbondale's median rent of $749.
Where is rent cheaper than Carbondale for a bus driver?
Nearby Illinois cities with lower median rent include Peoria ($747/mo), Peoria ($744/mo), Rockford ($744/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a bus driver salary.