Can A Bus Driver Afford Rent in Smithville, MO?

Rent-burdened — rent takes 53.5% of gross income.

Smithville rent: May 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Missouri state estimate).

Smithville median rent
$2,126/mo
Bus Driver salary (Missouri)
$47,674/yr
Rent as % of income
53.5%
Gross monthly income works out to about $3,973, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,192/mo in rent. Smithville's median rent of $2,126 exceeds that threshold by $934/mo, putting a bus driver salary into the rent-burdened range here. A bus driver works roughly 92.8 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 Smithville, which improves the affordability math on a bus driver salary:

Riverside, MO
$2,051/mo (51.6% of income)
Chesterfield, MO
$2,022/mo (50.9% of income)
Grain Valley, MO
$1,991/mo (50.1% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Smithville

View full rent data for Smithville, MO

Frequently asked questions

Can a bus driver afford rent in Smithville, MO?

Median rent in Smithville is $2,126 a month. A typical bus driver in Missouri earns about $47,674 a year, which makes that rent 53.5% 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 Smithville?

Using the 30% rule, a bus driver salary in Missouri (~$47,674/yr) supports up to $1,192 a month in rent. Smithville's current median rent is $2,126/mo, which is $934/mo over the affordability threshold.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $23 an hour, a bus driver in Missouri works roughly 92.8 hours a month to cover Smithville's median rent of $2,126.

Where is rent cheaper than Smithville for a bus driver?

Nearby Missouri cities with lower median rent include Riverside ($2,051/mo), Chesterfield ($2,022/mo), Grain Valley ($1,991/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 Smithville, MO. Affordability applies the 30% rule (rent ≤ 30% of gross income). Real take-home varies with taxes, household composition, overtime, tips, and benefits.