Can A Bus Driver Afford Rent in Derby, KS?

Stretched but workable — rent takes 39.2% of gross income.

Derby rent: July 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Kansas state estimate).

Derby median rent
$1,523/mo
Bus Driver salary (Kansas)
$46,638/yr
Rent as % of income
39.2%
Gross monthly income works out to about $3,887, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,166/mo in rent. Derby's median rent of $1,523 exceeds that threshold by $357/mo, putting a bus driver salary into the rent-burdened range here. A bus driver works roughly 67.9 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 Kansas cities have lower median rent than Derby, which improves the affordability math on a bus driver salary:

Gardner, KS
$1,520/mo (39.1% of income)
Gardner, KS
$1,518/mo (39.1% of income)
Prairie Village, KS
$1,515/mo (39% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Derby

View full rent data for Derby, KS

Frequently asked questions

Can a bus driver afford rent in Derby, KS?

Median rent in Derby is $1,523 a month. A typical bus driver in Kansas earns about $46,638 a year, which makes that rent 39.2% 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 Derby?

Using the 30% rule, a bus driver salary in Kansas (~$46,638/yr) supports up to $1,166 a month in rent. Derby's current median rent is $1,523/mo, which is $357/mo over the affordability threshold.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $22 an hour, a bus driver in Kansas works roughly 67.9 hours a month to cover Derby's median rent of $1,523.

Where is rent cheaper than Derby for a bus driver?

Nearby Kansas cities with lower median rent include Gardner ($1,520/mo), Gardner ($1,518/mo), Prairie Village ($1,515/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a bus driver salary.

Methodology: Salary uses the BLS-derived Kansas state estimate from OEWS May 2024. Rent is the most recent ZORI monthly value for Derby, KS. Affordability applies the 30% rule (rent ≤ 30% of gross income). Real take-home varies with taxes, household composition, overtime, tips, and benefits.