Can A Bus Driver Afford Rent in Springfield, MO?

Stretched but workable — rent takes 31% of gross income.

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

Springfield median rent
$1,230/mo
Bus Driver salary (Missouri)
$47,674/yr
Rent as % of income
31%
Gross monthly income works out to about $3,973, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,192/mo in rent. Springfield's median rent of $1,230 exceeds that threshold by $38/mo, putting a bus driver salary into the rent-burdened range here. A bus driver works roughly 53.7 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 Springfield, which improves the affordability math on a bus driver salary:

Spanish Lake, MO
$1,229/mo (30.9% of income)
Saint Ann, MO
$1,228/mo (30.9% of income)
Maplewood, MO
$1,228/mo (30.9% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Springfield

View full rent data for Springfield, MO

Frequently asked questions

Can a bus driver afford rent in Springfield, MO?

Median rent in Springfield is $1,230 a month. A typical bus driver in Missouri earns about $47,674 a year, which makes that rent 31% 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 Springfield?

Using the 30% rule, a bus driver salary in Missouri (~$47,674/yr) supports up to $1,192 a month in rent. Springfield's current median rent is $1,230/mo, which is $38/mo over the affordability threshold.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $23 an hour, a bus driver in Missouri works roughly 53.7 hours a month to cover Springfield's median rent of $1,230.

Where is rent cheaper than Springfield for a bus driver?

Nearby Missouri cities with lower median rent include Spanish Lake ($1,229/mo), Saint Ann ($1,228/mo), Maplewood ($1,228/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 Springfield, MO. Affordability applies the 30% rule (rent ≤ 30% of gross income). Real take-home varies with taxes, household composition, overtime, tips, and benefits.