Can A Bus Driver Afford Rent in Cape Girardeau, MO?

Comfortably affordable — rent takes 25.3% of gross income.

Cape Girardeau rent: June 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Missouri state estimate).

Cape Girardeau median rent
$1,004/mo
Bus Driver salary (Missouri)
$47,674/yr
Rent as % of income
25.3%
Gross monthly income works out to about $3,973, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,192/mo in rent. Cape Girardeau's median rent of $1,004 leaves roughly $188/mo of headroom under that threshold. A bus driver works roughly 43.8 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 Missouri cities have lower median rent than Cape Girardeau, which improves the affordability math on a bus driver salary:

Waynesville, MO
$1,003/mo (25.2% of income)
Warrensburg, MO
$1,001/mo (25.2% of income)
Bolivar, MO
$1,000/mo (25.2% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Cape Girardeau

View full rent data for Cape Girardeau, MO

Frequently asked questions

Can a bus driver afford rent in Cape Girardeau, MO?

Median rent in Cape Girardeau is $1,004 a month. A typical bus driver in Missouri earns about $47,674 a year, which makes that rent 25.3% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is yes.

How much rent can a bus driver afford in Cape Girardeau?

Using the 30% rule, a bus driver salary in Missouri (~$47,674/yr) supports up to $1,192 a month in rent. Cape Girardeau's current median rent is $1,004/mo, which leaves a $188/mo buffer.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $23 an hour, a bus driver in Missouri works roughly 43.8 hours a month to cover Cape Girardeau's median rent of $1,004.

Where is rent cheaper than Cape Girardeau for a bus driver?

Nearby Missouri cities with lower median rent include Waynesville ($1,003/mo), Warrensburg ($1,001/mo), Bolivar ($1,000/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a bus driver salary.

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