Can A Bus Driver Afford Rent in Owensboro, KY?

Comfortably affordable — rent takes 29.5% of gross income.

Owensboro rent: June 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Kentucky state estimate).

Owensboro median rent
$1,121/mo
Bus Driver salary (Kentucky)
$45,602/yr
Rent as % of income
29.5%
Gross monthly income works out to about $3,800, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,140/mo in rent. Owensboro's median rent of $1,121 leaves roughly $19/mo of headroom under that threshold. A bus driver works roughly 51.1 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 Kentucky cities have lower median rent than Owensboro, which improves the affordability math on a bus driver salary:

Oak Grove, KY
$1,120/mo (29.5% of income)
Lawrenceburg, KY
$1,120/mo (29.5% of income)
Covington, KY
$1,115/mo (29.3% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Owensboro

View full rent data for Owensboro, KY

Frequently asked questions

Can a bus driver afford rent in Owensboro, KY?

Median rent in Owensboro is $1,121 a month. A typical bus driver in Kentucky earns about $45,602 a year, which makes that rent 29.5% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is yes.

How much rent can a bus driver afford in Owensboro?

Using the 30% rule, a bus driver salary in Kentucky (~$45,602/yr) supports up to $1,140 a month in rent. Owensboro's current median rent is $1,121/mo, which leaves a $19/mo buffer.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $22 an hour, a bus driver in Kentucky works roughly 51.1 hours a month to cover Owensboro's median rent of $1,121.

Where is rent cheaper than Owensboro for a bus driver?

Nearby Kentucky cities with lower median rent include Oak Grove ($1,120/mo), Lawrenceburg ($1,120/mo), Covington ($1,115/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a bus driver salary.

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