Can A Bus Driver Afford Rent in Waite Park, MN?

Comfortably affordable — rent takes 27.3% of gross income.

Waite Park rent: July 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Minnesota state estimate).

Waite Park median rent
$1,228/mo
Bus Driver salary (Minnesota)
$53,893/yr
Rent as % of income
27.3%
Gross monthly income works out to about $4,491, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,347/mo in rent. Waite Park's median rent of $1,228 leaves roughly $119/mo of headroom under that threshold. A bus driver works roughly 47.4 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 Waite Park, which improves the affordability math on a bus driver salary:

Burnsville, MN
$1,226/mo (27.3% of income)
Mankato, MN
$1,217/mo (27.1% of income)
Saint Cloud, MN
$1,200/mo (26.7% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Waite Park

View full rent data for Waite Park, MN

Frequently asked questions

Can a bus driver afford rent in Waite Park, MN?

Median rent in Waite Park is $1,228 a month. A typical bus driver in Minnesota earns about $53,893 a year, which makes that rent 27.3% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is yes.

How much rent can a bus driver afford in Waite Park?

Using the 30% rule, a bus driver salary in Minnesota (~$53,893/yr) supports up to $1,347 a month in rent. Waite Park's current median rent is $1,228/mo, which leaves a $119/mo buffer.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $26 an hour, a bus driver in Minnesota works roughly 47.4 hours a month to cover Waite Park's median rent of $1,228.

Where is rent cheaper than Waite Park for a bus driver?

Nearby Minnesota cities with lower median rent include Burnsville ($1,226/mo), Mankato ($1,217/mo), Saint Cloud ($1,200/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 Waite Park, MN. Affordability applies the 30% rule (rent ≤ 30% of gross income). Real take-home varies with taxes, household composition, overtime, tips, and benefits.