Can A Bus Driver Afford Rent in Hazel Crest, IL?

Rent-burdened — rent takes 56.8% of gross income.

Hazel Crest rent: June 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Illinois state estimate).

Hazel Crest median rent
$2,503/mo
Bus Driver salary (Illinois)
$52,856/yr
Rent as % of income
56.8%
Gross monthly income works out to about $4,405, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,321/mo in rent. Hazel Crest's median rent of $2,503 exceeds that threshold by $1,182/mo, putting a bus driver salary into the rent-burdened range here. A bus driver works roughly 98.5 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 Hazel Crest, which improves the affordability math on a bus driver salary:

Morton Grove, IL
$2,502/mo (56.8% of income)
Oswego, IL
$2,500/mo (56.8% of income)
Deerfield, IL
$2,499/mo (56.7% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Hazel Crest

View full rent data for Hazel Crest, IL

Frequently asked questions

Can a bus driver afford rent in Hazel Crest, IL?

Median rent in Hazel Crest is $2,503 a month. A typical bus driver in Illinois earns about $52,856 a year, which makes that rent 56.8% 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 Hazel Crest?

Using the 30% rule, a bus driver salary in Illinois (~$52,856/yr) supports up to $1,321 a month in rent. Hazel Crest's current median rent is $2,503/mo, which is $1,182/mo over the affordability threshold.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $25 an hour, a bus driver in Illinois works roughly 98.5 hours a month to cover Hazel Crest's median rent of $2,503.

Where is rent cheaper than Hazel Crest for a bus driver?

Nearby Illinois cities with lower median rent include Morton Grove ($2,502/mo), Oswego ($2,500/mo), Deerfield ($2,499/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 Hazel Crest, IL. Affordability applies the 30% rule (rent ≤ 30% of gross income). Real take-home varies with taxes, household composition, overtime, tips, and benefits.