Can A Bus Driver Afford Rent in Fitchburg, MA?

Stretched but workable — rent takes 35.6% of gross income.

Fitchburg rent: July 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Massachusetts state estimate).

Fitchburg median rent
$1,784/mo
Bus Driver salary (Massachusetts)
$60,111/yr
Rent as % of income
35.6%
Gross monthly income works out to about $5,009, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,503/mo in rent. Fitchburg's median rent of $1,784 exceeds that threshold by $281/mo, putting a bus driver salary into the rent-burdened range here. A bus driver works roughly 61.7 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 Fitchburg, which improves the affordability math on a bus driver salary:

Shrewsbury, MA
$1,778/mo (35.5% of income)
Fall River, MA
$1,767/mo (35.3% of income)
Fall River, MA
$1,764/mo (35.2% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Fitchburg

View full rent data for Fitchburg, MA

Frequently asked questions

Can a bus driver afford rent in Fitchburg, MA?

Median rent in Fitchburg is $1,784 a month. A typical bus driver in Massachusetts earns about $60,111 a year, which makes that rent 35.6% 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 Fitchburg?

Using the 30% rule, a bus driver salary in Massachusetts (~$60,111/yr) supports up to $1,503 a month in rent. Fitchburg's current median rent is $1,784/mo, which is $281/mo over the affordability threshold.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $29 an hour, a bus driver in Massachusetts works roughly 61.7 hours a month to cover Fitchburg's median rent of $1,784.

Where is rent cheaper than Fitchburg for a bus driver?

Nearby Massachusetts cities with lower median rent include Shrewsbury ($1,778/mo), Fall River ($1,767/mo), Fall River ($1,764/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 Fitchburg, MA. Affordability applies the 30% rule (rent ≤ 30% of gross income). Real take-home varies with taxes, household composition, overtime, tips, and benefits.