Can A Bus Driver Afford Rent in Dundalk, MD?

Stretched but workable — rent takes 33.9% of gross income.

Dundalk rent: July 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Maryland state estimate).

Dundalk median rent
$1,581/mo
Bus Driver salary (Maryland)
$55,966/yr
Rent as % of income
33.9%
Gross monthly income works out to about $4,664, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,399/mo in rent. Dundalk's median rent of $1,581 exceeds that threshold by $182/mo, putting a bus driver salary into the rent-burdened range here. A bus driver works roughly 58.8 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 Maryland cities have lower median rent than Dundalk, which improves the affordability math on a bus driver salary:

Edgewood, MD
$1,577/mo (33.8% of income)
Edgewood, MD
$1,577/mo (33.8% of income)
Windsor Mill, MD
$1,577/mo (33.8% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Dundalk

View full rent data for Dundalk, MD

Frequently asked questions

Can a bus driver afford rent in Dundalk, MD?

Median rent in Dundalk is $1,581 a month. A typical bus driver in Maryland earns about $55,966 a year, which makes that rent 33.9% 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 Dundalk?

Using the 30% rule, a bus driver salary in Maryland (~$55,966/yr) supports up to $1,399 a month in rent. Dundalk's current median rent is $1,581/mo, which is $182/mo over the affordability threshold.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $27 an hour, a bus driver in Maryland works roughly 58.8 hours a month to cover Dundalk's median rent of $1,581.

Where is rent cheaper than Dundalk for a bus driver?

Nearby Maryland cities with lower median rent include Edgewood ($1,577/mo), Edgewood ($1,577/mo), Windsor Mill ($1,577/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a bus driver salary.

Methodology: Salary uses the BLS-derived Maryland state estimate from OEWS May 2024. Rent is the most recent ZORI monthly value for Dundalk, MD. Affordability applies the 30% rule (rent ≤ 30% of gross income). Real take-home varies with taxes, household composition, overtime, tips, and benefits.