Can A Bus Driver Afford Rent in New Carrollton, MD?

Stretched but workable — rent takes 37.7% of gross income.

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

New Carrollton median rent
$1,757/mo
Bus Driver salary (Maryland)
$55,966/yr
Rent as % of income
37.7%
Gross monthly income works out to about $4,664, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,399/mo in rent. New Carrollton's median rent of $1,757 exceeds that threshold by $358/mo, putting a bus driver salary into the rent-burdened range here. A bus driver works roughly 65.3 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 New Carrollton, which improves the affordability math on a bus driver salary:

Lexington Park, MD
$1,756/mo (37.7% of income)
Brooklyn Park, MD
$1,755/mo (37.6% of income)
Beltsville, MD
$1,754/mo (37.6% of income)

Compare with full rent data for New Carrollton

View full rent data for New Carrollton, MD

Frequently asked questions

Can a bus driver afford rent in New Carrollton, MD?

Median rent in New Carrollton is $1,757 a month. A typical bus driver in Maryland earns about $55,966 a year, which makes that rent 37.7% 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 New Carrollton?

Using the 30% rule, a bus driver salary in Maryland (~$55,966/yr) supports up to $1,399 a month in rent. New Carrollton's current median rent is $1,757/mo, which is $358/mo over the affordability threshold.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $27 an hour, a bus driver in Maryland works roughly 65.3 hours a month to cover New Carrollton's median rent of $1,757.

Where is rent cheaper than New Carrollton for a bus driver?

Nearby Maryland cities with lower median rent include Lexington Park ($1,756/mo), Brooklyn Park ($1,755/mo), Beltsville ($1,754/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 New Carrollton, MD. Affordability applies the 30% rule (rent ≤ 30% of gross income). Real take-home varies with taxes, household composition, overtime, tips, and benefits.