Can A Bus Driver Afford Rent in Bath, ME?

Rent-burdened — rent takes 45.4% of gross income.

Bath rent: June 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Maine state estimate).

Bath median rent
$1,825/mo
Bus Driver salary (Maine)
$48,193/yr
Rent as % of income
45.4%
Gross monthly income works out to about $4,016, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,205/mo in rent. Bath's median rent of $1,825 exceeds that threshold by $620/mo, putting a bus driver salary into the rent-burdened range here. A bus driver works roughly 78.8 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 Maine cities have lower median rent than Bath, which improves the affordability math on a bus driver salary:

Orono, ME
$1,805/mo (44.9% of income)
Old Town, ME
$1,801/mo (44.8% of income)
South Portland, ME
$1,799/mo (44.8% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Bath

View full rent data for Bath, ME

Frequently asked questions

Can a bus driver afford rent in Bath, ME?

Median rent in Bath is $1,825 a month. A typical bus driver in Maine earns about $48,193 a year, which makes that rent 45.4% 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 Bath?

Using the 30% rule, a bus driver salary in Maine (~$48,193/yr) supports up to $1,205 a month in rent. Bath's current median rent is $1,825/mo, which is $620/mo over the affordability threshold.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $23 an hour, a bus driver in Maine works roughly 78.8 hours a month to cover Bath's median rent of $1,825.

Where is rent cheaper than Bath for a bus driver?

Nearby Maine cities with lower median rent include Orono ($1,805/mo), Old Town ($1,801/mo), South Portland ($1,799/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a bus driver salary.

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