Can A Bus Driver Afford Rent in Saint Michael, MN?

Rent-burdened — rent takes 40.7% of gross income.

Saint Michael rent: July 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Minnesota state estimate).

Saint Michael median rent
$1,828/mo
Bus Driver salary (Minnesota)
$53,893/yr
Rent as % of income
40.7%
Gross monthly income works out to about $4,491, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,347/mo in rent. Saint Michael's median rent of $1,828 exceeds that threshold by $481/mo, putting a bus driver salary into the rent-burdened range here. A bus driver works roughly 70.6 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 Saint Michael, which improves the affordability math on a bus driver salary:

Shoreview, MN
$1,827/mo (40.7% of income)
Savage, MN
$1,826/mo (40.7% of income)
Elk River, MN
$1,825/mo (40.6% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Saint Michael

View full rent data for Saint Michael, MN

Frequently asked questions

Can a bus driver afford rent in Saint Michael, MN?

Median rent in Saint Michael is $1,828 a month. A typical bus driver in Minnesota earns about $53,893 a year, which makes that rent 40.7% 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 Saint Michael?

Using the 30% rule, a bus driver salary in Minnesota (~$53,893/yr) supports up to $1,347 a month in rent. Saint Michael's current median rent is $1,828/mo, which is $481/mo over the affordability threshold.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $26 an hour, a bus driver in Minnesota works roughly 70.6 hours a month to cover Saint Michael's median rent of $1,828.

Where is rent cheaper than Saint Michael for a bus driver?

Nearby Minnesota cities with lower median rent include Shoreview ($1,827/mo), Savage ($1,826/mo), Elk River ($1,825/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 Saint Michael, MN. Affordability applies the 30% rule (rent ≤ 30% of gross income). Real take-home varies with taxes, household composition, overtime, tips, and benefits.