Can A Bus Driver Afford Rent in Apex, NC?

Rent-burdened — rent takes 49.7% of gross income.

Apex rent: June 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (North Carolina state estimate).

Apex median rent
$2,017/mo
Bus Driver salary (North Carolina)
$48,711/yr
Rent as % of income
49.7%
Gross monthly income works out to about $4,059, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,218/mo in rent. Apex's median rent of $2,017 exceeds that threshold by $799/mo, putting a bus driver salary into the rent-burdened range here. A bus driver works roughly 86.1 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 North Carolina cities have lower median rent than Apex, which improves the affordability math on a bus driver salary:

Indian Trail, NC
$2,016/mo (49.7% of income)
Pinehurst, NC
$2,015/mo (49.6% of income)
Indian Trail, NC
$2,013/mo (49.6% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Apex

View full rent data for Apex, NC

Frequently asked questions

Can a bus driver afford rent in Apex, NC?

Median rent in Apex is $2,017 a month. A typical bus driver in North Carolina earns about $48,711 a year, which makes that rent 49.7% 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 Apex?

Using the 30% rule, a bus driver salary in North Carolina (~$48,711/yr) supports up to $1,218 a month in rent. Apex's current median rent is $2,017/mo, which is $799/mo over the affordability threshold.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $23 an hour, a bus driver in North Carolina works roughly 86.1 hours a month to cover Apex's median rent of $2,017.

Where is rent cheaper than Apex for a bus driver?

Nearby North Carolina cities with lower median rent include Indian Trail ($2,016/mo), Pinehurst ($2,015/mo), Indian Trail ($2,013/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a bus driver salary.

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