Can A Bus Driver Afford Rent in Homewood, IL?

Rent-burdened — rent takes 57.3% of gross income.

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

Homewood median rent
$2,524/mo
Bus Driver salary (Illinois)
$52,856/yr
Rent as % of income
57.3%
Gross monthly income works out to about $4,405, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,321/mo in rent. Homewood's median rent of $2,524 exceeds that threshold by $1,203/mo, putting a bus driver salary into the rent-burdened range here. A bus driver works roughly 99.3 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 Homewood, which improves the affordability math on a bus driver salary:

Round Lake, IL
$2,523/mo (57.3% of income)
Bloomingdale, IL
$2,522/mo (57.3% of income)
Glenview, IL
$2,520/mo (57.2% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Homewood

View full rent data for Homewood, IL

Frequently asked questions

Can a bus driver afford rent in Homewood, IL?

Median rent in Homewood is $2,524 a month. A typical bus driver in Illinois earns about $52,856 a year, which makes that rent 57.3% 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 Homewood?

Using the 30% rule, a bus driver salary in Illinois (~$52,856/yr) supports up to $1,321 a month in rent. Homewood's current median rent is $2,524/mo, which is $1,203/mo over the affordability threshold.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $25 an hour, a bus driver in Illinois works roughly 99.3 hours a month to cover Homewood's median rent of $2,524.

Where is rent cheaper than Homewood for a bus driver?

Nearby Illinois cities with lower median rent include Round Lake ($2,523/mo), Bloomingdale ($2,522/mo), Glenview ($2,520/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 Homewood, IL. Affordability applies the 30% rule (rent ≤ 30% of gross income). Real take-home varies with taxes, household composition, overtime, tips, and benefits.