Can A Bus Driver Afford Rent in Fairhaven, MA?

Stretched but workable — rent takes 35.9% of gross income.

Fairhaven rent: January 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Massachusetts state estimate).

Fairhaven median rent
$1,800/mo
Bus Driver salary (Massachusetts)
$60,111/yr
Rent as % of income
35.9%
Gross monthly income works out to about $5,009, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,503/mo in rent. Fairhaven's median rent of $1,800 exceeds that threshold by $297/mo, putting a bus driver salary into the rent-burdened range here. A bus driver works roughly 62.3 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 Fairhaven, which improves the affordability math on a bus driver salary:

Holyoke, MA
$1,799/mo (35.9% of income)
Fitchburg, MA
$1,799/mo (35.9% of income)
Leominster, MA
$1,798/mo (35.9% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Fairhaven

View full rent data for Fairhaven, MA

Frequently asked questions

Can a bus driver afford rent in Fairhaven, MA?

Median rent in Fairhaven is $1,800 a month. A typical bus driver in Massachusetts earns about $60,111 a year, which makes that rent 35.9% 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 Fairhaven?

Using the 30% rule, a bus driver salary in Massachusetts (~$60,111/yr) supports up to $1,503 a month in rent. Fairhaven's current median rent is $1,800/mo, which is $297/mo over the affordability threshold.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $29 an hour, a bus driver in Massachusetts works roughly 62.3 hours a month to cover Fairhaven's median rent of $1,800.

Where is rent cheaper than Fairhaven for a bus driver?

Nearby Massachusetts cities with lower median rent include Holyoke ($1,799/mo), Fitchburg ($1,799/mo), Leominster ($1,798/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 Fairhaven, MA. Affordability applies the 30% rule (rent ≤ 30% of gross income). Real take-home varies with taxes, household composition, overtime, tips, and benefits.