Can A Bus Driver Afford Rent in Lafayette, LA?

Stretched but workable — rent takes 35.2% of gross income.

Lafayette rent: June 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Louisiana state estimate).

Lafayette median rent
$1,324/mo
Bus Driver salary (Louisiana)
$45,083/yr
Rent as % of income
35.2%
Gross monthly income works out to about $3,757, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,127/mo in rent. Lafayette's median rent of $1,324 exceeds that threshold by $197/mo, putting a bus driver salary into the rent-burdened range here. A bus driver works roughly 61.1 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 Louisiana cities have lower median rent than Lafayette, which improves the affordability math on a bus driver salary:

Baton Rouge, LA
$1,320/mo (35.1% of income)
Leesville, LA
$1,319/mo (35.1% of income)
Eden Isle, LA
$1,319/mo (35.1% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Lafayette

View full rent data for Lafayette, LA

Frequently asked questions

Can a bus driver afford rent in Lafayette, LA?

Median rent in Lafayette is $1,324 a month. A typical bus driver in Louisiana earns about $45,083 a year, which makes that rent 35.2% 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 Lafayette?

Using the 30% rule, a bus driver salary in Louisiana (~$45,083/yr) supports up to $1,127 a month in rent. Lafayette's current median rent is $1,324/mo, which is $197/mo over the affordability threshold.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $22 an hour, a bus driver in Louisiana works roughly 61.1 hours a month to cover Lafayette's median rent of $1,324.

Where is rent cheaper than Lafayette for a bus driver?

Nearby Louisiana cities with lower median rent include Baton Rouge ($1,320/mo), Leesville ($1,319/mo), Eden Isle ($1,319/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a bus driver salary.

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