Can A Bus Driver Afford Rent in Grand Island, NE?

Stretched but workable — rent takes 33.3% of gross income.

Grand Island rent: June 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Nebraska state estimate).

Grand Island median rent
$1,337/mo
Bus Driver salary (Nebraska)
$48,193/yr
Rent as % of income
33.3%
Gross monthly income works out to about $4,016, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,205/mo in rent. Grand Island's median rent of $1,337 exceeds that threshold by $132/mo, putting a bus driver salary into the rent-burdened range here. A bus driver works roughly 57.7 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 Nebraska cities have lower median rent than Grand Island, which improves the affordability math on a bus driver salary:

Bennington, NE
$1,333/mo (33.2% of income)
Bennington, NE
$1,333/mo (33.2% of income)
Lexington, NE
$1,332/mo (33.2% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Grand Island

View full rent data for Grand Island, NE

Frequently asked questions

Can a bus driver afford rent in Grand Island, NE?

Median rent in Grand Island is $1,337 a month. A typical bus driver in Nebraska earns about $48,193 a year, which makes that rent 33.3% 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 Grand Island?

Using the 30% rule, a bus driver salary in Nebraska (~$48,193/yr) supports up to $1,205 a month in rent. Grand Island's current median rent is $1,337/mo, which is $132/mo over the affordability threshold.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $23 an hour, a bus driver in Nebraska works roughly 57.7 hours a month to cover Grand Island's median rent of $1,337.

Where is rent cheaper than Grand Island for a bus driver?

Nearby Nebraska cities with lower median rent include Bennington ($1,333/mo), Bennington ($1,333/mo), Lexington ($1,332/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a bus driver salary.

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