Can A Bus Driver Afford Rent in Germantown, MD?

Rent-burdened — rent takes 45.8% of gross income.

Germantown rent: June 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Maryland state estimate).

Germantown median rent
$2,137/mo
Bus Driver salary (Maryland)
$55,966/yr
Rent as % of income
45.8%
Gross monthly income works out to about $4,664, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,399/mo in rent. Germantown's median rent of $2,137 exceeds that threshold by $738/mo, putting a bus driver salary into the rent-burdened range here. A bus driver works roughly 79.4 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 Germantown, which improves the affordability math on a bus driver salary:

Columbia, MD
$2,136/mo (45.8% of income)
Lake Arbor, MD
$2,135/mo (45.8% of income)
Columbia, MD
$2,133/mo (45.7% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Germantown

View full rent data for Germantown, MD

Frequently asked questions

Can a bus driver afford rent in Germantown, MD?

Median rent in Germantown is $2,137 a month. A typical bus driver in Maryland earns about $55,966 a year, which makes that rent 45.8% 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 Germantown?

Using the 30% rule, a bus driver salary in Maryland (~$55,966/yr) supports up to $1,399 a month in rent. Germantown's current median rent is $2,137/mo, which is $738/mo over the affordability threshold.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $27 an hour, a bus driver in Maryland works roughly 79.4 hours a month to cover Germantown's median rent of $2,137.

Where is rent cheaper than Germantown for a bus driver?

Nearby Maryland cities with lower median rent include Columbia ($2,136/mo), Lake Arbor ($2,135/mo), Columbia ($2,133/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 Germantown, MD. Affordability applies the 30% rule (rent ≤ 30% of gross income). Real take-home varies with taxes, household composition, overtime, tips, and benefits.