Can A Bus Driver Afford Rent in Franklin Park, IL?

Stretched but workable — rent takes 38.6% of gross income.

Franklin Park rent: April 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Illinois state estimate).

Franklin Park median rent
$1,700/mo
Bus Driver salary (Illinois)
$52,856/yr
Rent as % of income
38.6%
Gross monthly income works out to about $4,405, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,321/mo in rent. Franklin Park's median rent of $1,700 exceeds that threshold by $379/mo, putting a bus driver salary into the rent-burdened range here. A bus driver works roughly 66.9 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 Franklin Park, which improves the affordability math on a bus driver salary:

Calumet City, IL
$1,698/mo (38.6% of income)
Glen Ellyn, IL
$1,696/mo (38.5% of income)
Elk Grove Village, IL
$1,694/mo (38.5% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Franklin Park

View full rent data for Franklin Park, IL

Frequently asked questions

Can a bus driver afford rent in Franklin Park, IL?

Median rent in Franklin Park is $1,700 a month. A typical bus driver in Illinois earns about $52,856 a year, which makes that rent 38.6% 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 Franklin Park?

Using the 30% rule, a bus driver salary in Illinois (~$52,856/yr) supports up to $1,321 a month in rent. Franklin Park's current median rent is $1,700/mo, which is $379/mo over the affordability threshold.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $25 an hour, a bus driver in Illinois works roughly 66.9 hours a month to cover Franklin Park's median rent of $1,700.

Where is rent cheaper than Franklin Park for a bus driver?

Nearby Illinois cities with lower median rent include Calumet City ($1,698/mo), Glen Ellyn ($1,696/mo), Elk Grove Village ($1,694/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 Franklin Park, IL. Affordability applies the 30% rule (rent ≤ 30% of gross income). Real take-home varies with taxes, household composition, overtime, tips, and benefits.