Can A Bus Driver Afford Rent in Richmond, KY?

Stretched but workable — rent takes 31% of gross income.

Richmond rent: July 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Kentucky state estimate).

Richmond median rent
$1,179/mo
Bus Driver salary (Kentucky)
$45,602/yr
Rent as % of income
31%
Gross monthly income works out to about $3,800, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,140/mo in rent. Richmond's median rent of $1,179 exceeds that threshold by $39/mo, putting a bus driver salary into the rent-burdened range here. A bus driver works roughly 53.8 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 Richmond, which improves the affordability math on a bus driver salary:

Morehead, KY
$1,165/mo (30.7% of income)
Paducah, KY
$1,164/mo (30.6% of income)
Oak Grove, KY
$1,163/mo (30.6% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Richmond

View full rent data for Richmond, KY

Frequently asked questions

Can a bus driver afford rent in Richmond, KY?

Median rent in Richmond is $1,179 a month. A typical bus driver in Kentucky earns about $45,602 a year, which makes that rent 31% 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 Richmond?

Using the 30% rule, a bus driver salary in Kentucky (~$45,602/yr) supports up to $1,140 a month in rent. Richmond's current median rent is $1,179/mo, which is $39/mo over the affordability threshold.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $22 an hour, a bus driver in Kentucky works roughly 53.8 hours a month to cover Richmond's median rent of $1,179.

Where is rent cheaper than Richmond for a bus driver?

Nearby Kentucky cities with lower median rent include Morehead ($1,165/mo), Paducah ($1,164/mo), Oak Grove ($1,163/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 Richmond, KY. Affordability applies the 30% rule (rent ≤ 30% of gross income). Real take-home varies with taxes, household composition, overtime, tips, and benefits.