Can A Bus Driver Afford Rent in Dearborn, MI?

Rent-burdened — rent takes 41.1% of gross income.

Dearborn rent: June 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Michigan state estimate).

Dearborn median rent
$1,705/mo
Bus Driver salary (Michigan)
$49,747/yr
Rent as % of income
41.1%
Gross monthly income works out to about $4,146, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,244/mo in rent. Dearborn's median rent of $1,705 exceeds that threshold by $461/mo, putting a bus driver salary into the rent-burdened range here. A bus driver works roughly 71.3 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 Michigan cities have lower median rent than Dearborn, which improves the affordability math on a bus driver salary:

Northville, MI
$1,704/mo (41.1% of income)
Kentwood, MI
$1,704/mo (41.1% of income)
Livonia, MI
$1,703/mo (41.1% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Dearborn

View full rent data for Dearborn, MI

Frequently asked questions

Can a bus driver afford rent in Dearborn, MI?

Median rent in Dearborn is $1,705 a month. A typical bus driver in Michigan earns about $49,747 a year, which makes that rent 41.1% 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 Dearborn?

Using the 30% rule, a bus driver salary in Michigan (~$49,747/yr) supports up to $1,244 a month in rent. Dearborn's current median rent is $1,705/mo, which is $461/mo over the affordability threshold.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $24 an hour, a bus driver in Michigan works roughly 71.3 hours a month to cover Dearborn's median rent of $1,705.

Where is rent cheaper than Dearborn for a bus driver?

Nearby Michigan cities with lower median rent include Northville ($1,704/mo), Kentwood ($1,704/mo), Livonia ($1,703/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a bus driver salary.

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