Can A Bus Driver Afford Rent in Hattiesburg, MS?

Rent-burdened — rent takes 40.5% of gross income.

Hattiesburg rent: June 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Mississippi state estimate).

Hattiesburg median rent
$1,417/mo
Bus Driver salary (Mississippi)
$41,974/yr
Rent as % of income
40.5%
Gross monthly income works out to about $3,498, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,049/mo in rent. Hattiesburg's median rent of $1,417 exceeds that threshold by $368/mo, putting a bus driver salary into the rent-burdened range here. A bus driver works roughly 70.2 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 Mississippi cities have lower median rent than Hattiesburg, which improves the affordability math on a bus driver salary:

Gulfport, MS
$1,415/mo (40.5% of income)
Pearl, MS
$1,414/mo (40.4% of income)
Ridgeland, MS
$1,414/mo (40.4% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Hattiesburg

View full rent data for Hattiesburg, MS

Frequently asked questions

Can a bus driver afford rent in Hattiesburg, MS?

Median rent in Hattiesburg is $1,417 a month. A typical bus driver in Mississippi earns about $41,974 a year, which makes that rent 40.5% 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 Hattiesburg?

Using the 30% rule, a bus driver salary in Mississippi (~$41,974/yr) supports up to $1,049 a month in rent. Hattiesburg's current median rent is $1,417/mo, which is $368/mo over the affordability threshold.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $20 an hour, a bus driver in Mississippi works roughly 70.2 hours a month to cover Hattiesburg's median rent of $1,417.

Where is rent cheaper than Hattiesburg for a bus driver?

Nearby Mississippi cities with lower median rent include Gulfport ($1,415/mo), Pearl ($1,414/mo), Ridgeland ($1,414/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a bus driver salary.

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