Can A Bus Driver Afford Rent in Wakefield, MA?

Rent-burdened — rent takes 56.4% of gross income.

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

Wakefield median rent
$2,824/mo
Bus Driver salary (Massachusetts)
$60,111/yr
Rent as % of income
56.4%
Gross monthly income works out to about $5,009, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,503/mo in rent. Wakefield's median rent of $2,824 exceeds that threshold by $1,321/mo, putting a bus driver salary into the rent-burdened range here. A bus driver works roughly 97.7 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 Wakefield, which improves the affordability math on a bus driver salary:

Braintree, MA
$2,823/mo (56.4% of income)
Kingston, MA
$2,820/mo (56.3% of income)
Littleton, MA
$2,819/mo (56.3% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Wakefield

View full rent data for Wakefield, MA

Frequently asked questions

Can a bus driver afford rent in Wakefield, MA?

Median rent in Wakefield is $2,824 a month. A typical bus driver in Massachusetts earns about $60,111 a year, which makes that rent 56.4% 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 Wakefield?

Using the 30% rule, a bus driver salary in Massachusetts (~$60,111/yr) supports up to $1,503 a month in rent. Wakefield's current median rent is $2,824/mo, which is $1,321/mo over the affordability threshold.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $29 an hour, a bus driver in Massachusetts works roughly 97.7 hours a month to cover Wakefield's median rent of $2,824.

Where is rent cheaper than Wakefield for a bus driver?

Nearby Massachusetts cities with lower median rent include Braintree ($2,823/mo), Kingston ($2,820/mo), Littleton ($2,819/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 Wakefield, MA. Affordability applies the 30% rule (rent ≤ 30% of gross income). Real take-home varies with taxes, household composition, overtime, tips, and benefits.