Can A Bus Driver Afford Rent in Westfield, MA?

Stretched but workable — rent takes 37.4% of gross income.

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

Westfield median rent
$1,873/mo
Bus Driver salary (Massachusetts)
$60,111/yr
Rent as % of income
37.4%
Gross monthly income works out to about $5,009, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,503/mo in rent. Westfield's median rent of $1,873 exceeds that threshold by $370/mo, putting a bus driver salary into the rent-burdened range here. A bus driver works roughly 64.8 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 Westfield, which improves the affordability math on a bus driver salary:

New Bedford, MA
$1,869/mo (37.3% of income)
Weymouth, MA
$1,864/mo (37.2% of income)
Boxboro, MA
$1,863/mo (37.2% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Westfield

View full rent data for Westfield, MA

Frequently asked questions

Can a bus driver afford rent in Westfield, MA?

Median rent in Westfield is $1,873 a month. A typical bus driver in Massachusetts earns about $60,111 a year, which makes that rent 37.4% 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 Westfield?

Using the 30% rule, a bus driver salary in Massachusetts (~$60,111/yr) supports up to $1,503 a month in rent. Westfield's current median rent is $1,873/mo, which is $370/mo over the affordability threshold.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $29 an hour, a bus driver in Massachusetts works roughly 64.8 hours a month to cover Westfield's median rent of $1,873.

Where is rent cheaper than Westfield for a bus driver?

Nearby Massachusetts cities with lower median rent include New Bedford ($1,869/mo), Weymouth ($1,864/mo), Boxboro ($1,863/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 Westfield, MA. Affordability applies the 30% rule (rent ≤ 30% of gross income). Real take-home varies with taxes, household composition, overtime, tips, and benefits.