Can A Bus Driver Afford Rent in Livingston, MT?

Stretched but workable — rent takes 35.2% of gross income.

Livingston rent: June 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Montana state estimate).

Livingston median rent
$1,339/mo
Bus Driver salary (Montana)
$45,602/yr
Rent as % of income
35.2%
Gross monthly income works out to about $3,800, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,140/mo in rent. Livingston's median rent of $1,339 exceeds that threshold by $199/mo, putting a bus driver salary into the rent-burdened range here. A bus driver works roughly 61.1 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 Montana cities have lower median rent than Livingston, which improves the affordability math on a bus driver salary:

Billings, MT
$1,334/mo (35.1% of income)
Great Falls, MT
$1,333/mo (35.1% of income)
Great Falls, MT
$1,332/mo (35.1% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Livingston

View full rent data for Livingston, MT

Frequently asked questions

Can a bus driver afford rent in Livingston, MT?

Median rent in Livingston is $1,339 a month. A typical bus driver in Montana earns about $45,602 a year, which makes that rent 35.2% 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 Livingston?

Using the 30% rule, a bus driver salary in Montana (~$45,602/yr) supports up to $1,140 a month in rent. Livingston's current median rent is $1,339/mo, which is $199/mo over the affordability threshold.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $22 an hour, a bus driver in Montana works roughly 61.1 hours a month to cover Livingston's median rent of $1,339.

Where is rent cheaper than Livingston for a bus driver?

Nearby Montana cities with lower median rent include Billings ($1,334/mo), Great Falls ($1,333/mo), Great Falls ($1,332/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a bus driver salary.

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