Can A Bus Driver Afford Rent in Chicopee, MA?

Stretched but workable — rent takes 32.6% of gross income.

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

Chicopee median rent
$1,635/mo
Bus Driver salary (Massachusetts)
$60,111/yr
Rent as % of income
32.6%
Gross monthly income works out to about $5,009, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,503/mo in rent. Chicopee's median rent of $1,635 exceeds that threshold by $132/mo, putting a bus driver salary into the rent-burdened range here. A bus driver works roughly 56.6 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 Chicopee, which improves the affordability math on a bus driver salary:

Springfield, MA
$1,634/mo (32.6% of income)
Lynn, MA
$1,625/mo (32.4% of income)
Holyoke, MA
$1,619/mo (32.3% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Chicopee

View full rent data for Chicopee, MA

Frequently asked questions

Can a bus driver afford rent in Chicopee, MA?

Median rent in Chicopee is $1,635 a month. A typical bus driver in Massachusetts earns about $60,111 a year, which makes that rent 32.6% 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 Chicopee?

Using the 30% rule, a bus driver salary in Massachusetts (~$60,111/yr) supports up to $1,503 a month in rent. Chicopee's current median rent is $1,635/mo, which is $132/mo over the affordability threshold.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $29 an hour, a bus driver in Massachusetts works roughly 56.6 hours a month to cover Chicopee's median rent of $1,635.

Where is rent cheaper than Chicopee for a bus driver?

Nearby Massachusetts cities with lower median rent include Springfield ($1,634/mo), Lynn ($1,625/mo), Holyoke ($1,619/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 Chicopee, MA. Affordability applies the 30% rule (rent ≤ 30% of gross income). Real take-home varies with taxes, household composition, overtime, tips, and benefits.