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

Comfortably affordable — rent takes 28.2% of gross income.

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

Waite Park median rent
$1,267/mo
Bus Driver salary (Minnesota)
$53,893/yr
Rent as % of income
28.2%
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 $1,267 leaves roughly $80/mo of headroom under that threshold. A bus driver works roughly 48.9 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:

Mankato, MN
$1,259/mo (28% of income)
Moorhead, MN
$1,258/mo (28% of income)
Winona, MN
$1,255/mo (27.9% 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 $1,267 a month. A typical bus driver in Minnesota earns about $53,893 a year, which makes that rent 28.2% 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 $1,267/mo, which leaves a $80/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 48.9 hours a month to cover Waite Park's median rent of $1,267.

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

Nearby Minnesota cities with lower median rent include Mankato ($1,259/mo), Moorhead ($1,258/mo), Winona ($1,255/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.