Can A Bus Driver Afford Rent in Winchester, MA?

Rent-burdened — rent takes 75.4% of gross income.

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

Winchester median rent
$3,776/mo
Bus Driver salary (Massachusetts)
$60,111/yr
Rent as % of income
75.4%
Gross monthly income works out to about $5,009, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,503/mo in rent. Winchester's median rent of $3,776 exceeds that threshold by $2,273/mo, putting a bus driver salary into the rent-burdened range here. A bus driver works roughly 130.7 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 Winchester, which improves the affordability math on a bus driver salary:

Lexington, MA
$3,768/mo (75.2% of income)
Brookline, MA
$3,768/mo (75.2% of income)
Concord, MA
$3,709/mo (74% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Winchester

View full rent data for Winchester, MA

Frequently asked questions

Can a bus driver afford rent in Winchester, MA?

Median rent in Winchester is $3,776 a month. A typical bus driver in Massachusetts earns about $60,111 a year, which makes that rent 75.4% 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 Winchester?

Using the 30% rule, a bus driver salary in Massachusetts (~$60,111/yr) supports up to $1,503 a month in rent. Winchester's current median rent is $3,776/mo, which is $2,273/mo over the affordability threshold.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $29 an hour, a bus driver in Massachusetts works roughly 130.7 hours a month to cover Winchester's median rent of $3,776.

Where is rent cheaper than Winchester for a bus driver?

Nearby Massachusetts cities with lower median rent include Lexington ($3,768/mo), Brookline ($3,768/mo), Concord ($3,709/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 Winchester, MA. Affordability applies the 30% rule (rent ≤ 30% of gross income). Real take-home varies with taxes, household composition, overtime, tips, and benefits.