Can A Bus Driver Afford Rent in Duluth, MN?

Stretched but workable — rent takes 32.5% of gross income.

Duluth rent: June 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Minnesota state estimate).

Duluth median rent
$1,458/mo
Bus Driver salary (Minnesota)
$53,893/yr
Rent as % of income
32.5%
Gross monthly income works out to about $4,491, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,347/mo in rent. Duluth's median rent of $1,458 exceeds that threshold by $111/mo, putting a bus driver salary into the rent-burdened range here. A bus driver works roughly 56.3 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 Minnesota cities have lower median rent than Duluth, which improves the affordability math on a bus driver salary:

Burnsville, MN
$1,457/mo (32.4% of income)
Little Canada, MN
$1,454/mo (32.4% of income)
South Saint Paul, MN
$1,453/mo (32.4% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Duluth

View full rent data for Duluth, MN

Frequently asked questions

Can a bus driver afford rent in Duluth, MN?

Median rent in Duluth is $1,458 a month. A typical bus driver in Minnesota earns about $53,893 a year, which makes that rent 32.5% 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 Duluth?

Using the 30% rule, a bus driver salary in Minnesota (~$53,893/yr) supports up to $1,347 a month in rent. Duluth's current median rent is $1,458/mo, which is $111/mo over the affordability threshold.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $26 an hour, a bus driver in Minnesota works roughly 56.3 hours a month to cover Duluth's median rent of $1,458.

Where is rent cheaper than Duluth for a bus driver?

Nearby Minnesota cities with lower median rent include Burnsville ($1,457/mo), Little Canada ($1,454/mo), South Saint Paul ($1,453/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a bus driver salary.

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