Can A Bus Driver Afford Rent in Junction City, KS?

Stretched but workable — rent takes 32.4% of gross income.

Junction City rent: June 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Kansas state estimate).

Junction City median rent
$1,261/mo
Bus Driver salary (Kansas)
$46,638/yr
Rent as % of income
32.4%
Gross monthly income works out to about $3,887, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,166/mo in rent. Junction City's median rent of $1,261 exceeds that threshold by $95/mo, putting a bus driver salary into the rent-burdened range here. A bus driver works roughly 56.2 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 Junction City, which improves the affordability math on a bus driver salary:

Topeka, KS
$1,259/mo (32.4% of income)
Manhattan, KS
$1,252/mo (32.2% of income)
Shawnee, KS
$1,243/mo (32% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Junction City

View full rent data for Junction City, KS

Frequently asked questions

Can a bus driver afford rent in Junction City, KS?

Median rent in Junction City is $1,261 a month. A typical bus driver in Kansas earns about $46,638 a year, which makes that rent 32.4% 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 Junction City?

Using the 30% rule, a bus driver salary in Kansas (~$46,638/yr) supports up to $1,166 a month in rent. Junction City's current median rent is $1,261/mo, which is $95/mo over the affordability threshold.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $22 an hour, a bus driver in Kansas works roughly 56.2 hours a month to cover Junction City's median rent of $1,261.

Where is rent cheaper than Junction City for a bus driver?

Nearby Kansas cities with lower median rent include Topeka ($1,259/mo), Manhattan ($1,252/mo), Shawnee ($1,243/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 Junction City, KS. Affordability applies the 30% rule (rent ≤ 30% of gross income). Real take-home varies with taxes, household composition, overtime, tips, and benefits.