Can A Bus Driver Afford Rent in Madison, MS?

Rent-burdened — rent takes 69.2% of gross income.

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

Madison median rent
$2,422/mo
Bus Driver salary (Mississippi)
$41,974/yr
Rent as % of income
69.2%
Gross monthly income works out to about $3,498, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,049/mo in rent. Madison's median rent of $2,422 exceeds that threshold by $1,373/mo, putting a bus driver salary into the rent-burdened range here. A bus driver works roughly 120 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 Madison, which improves the affordability math on a bus driver salary:

Oxford, MS
$2,376/mo (67.9% of income)
Oxford, MS
$2,304/mo (65.9% of income)
Hernando, MS
$2,261/mo (64.6% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Madison

View full rent data for Madison, MS

Frequently asked questions

Can a bus driver afford rent in Madison, MS?

Median rent in Madison is $2,422 a month. A typical bus driver in Mississippi earns about $41,974 a year, which makes that rent 69.2% 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 Madison?

Using the 30% rule, a bus driver salary in Mississippi (~$41,974/yr) supports up to $1,049 a month in rent. Madison's current median rent is $2,422/mo, which is $1,373/mo over the affordability threshold.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $20 an hour, a bus driver in Mississippi works roughly 120 hours a month to cover Madison's median rent of $2,422.

Where is rent cheaper than Madison for a bus driver?

Nearby Mississippi cities with lower median rent include Oxford ($2,376/mo), Oxford ($2,304/mo), Hernando ($2,261/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 Madison, MS. Affordability applies the 30% rule (rent ≤ 30% of gross income). Real take-home varies with taxes, household composition, overtime, tips, and benefits.