Can A Bus Driver Afford Rent in Belmont, MA?

Rent-burdened — rent takes 64.9% of gross income.

Belmont rent: June 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Massachusetts state estimate).

Belmont median rent
$3,249/mo
Bus Driver salary (Massachusetts)
$60,111/yr
Rent as % of income
64.9%
Gross monthly income works out to about $5,009, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,503/mo in rent. Belmont's median rent of $3,249 exceeds that threshold by $1,746/mo, putting a bus driver salary into the rent-burdened range here. A bus driver works roughly 112.4 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 Massachusetts cities have lower median rent than Belmont, which improves the affordability math on a bus driver salary:

Needham, MA
$3,247/mo (64.8% of income)
Hingham, MA
$3,242/mo (64.7% of income)
Somerville, MA
$3,241/mo (64.7% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Belmont

View full rent data for Belmont, MA

Frequently asked questions

Can a bus driver afford rent in Belmont, MA?

Median rent in Belmont is $3,249 a month. A typical bus driver in Massachusetts earns about $60,111 a year, which makes that rent 64.9% 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 Belmont?

Using the 30% rule, a bus driver salary in Massachusetts (~$60,111/yr) supports up to $1,503 a month in rent. Belmont's current median rent is $3,249/mo, which is $1,746/mo over the affordability threshold.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $29 an hour, a bus driver in Massachusetts works roughly 112.4 hours a month to cover Belmont's median rent of $3,249.

Where is rent cheaper than Belmont for a bus driver?

Nearby Massachusetts cities with lower median rent include Needham ($3,247/mo), Hingham ($3,242/mo), Somerville ($3,241/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a bus driver salary.

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