Can A Bus Driver Afford Rent in Omaha, NE?

Stretched but workable — rent takes 36.2% of gross income.

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

Omaha median rent
$1,453/mo
Bus Driver salary (Nebraska)
$48,193/yr
Rent as % of income
36.2%
Gross monthly income works out to about $4,016, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,205/mo in rent. Omaha's median rent of $1,453 exceeds that threshold by $248/mo, putting a bus driver salary into the rent-burdened range here. A bus driver works roughly 62.7 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 Omaha, which improves the affordability math on a bus driver salary:

Kearney, NE
$1,451/mo (36.1% of income)
Columbus, NE
$1,447/mo (36% of income)
Kearney, NE
$1,445/mo (36% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Omaha

View full rent data for Omaha, NE

Frequently asked questions

Can a bus driver afford rent in Omaha, NE?

Median rent in Omaha is $1,453 a month. A typical bus driver in Nebraska earns about $48,193 a year, which makes that rent 36.2% 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 Omaha?

Using the 30% rule, a bus driver salary in Nebraska (~$48,193/yr) supports up to $1,205 a month in rent. Omaha's current median rent is $1,453/mo, which is $248/mo over the affordability threshold.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $23 an hour, a bus driver in Nebraska works roughly 62.7 hours a month to cover Omaha's median rent of $1,453.

Where is rent cheaper than Omaha for a bus driver?

Nearby Nebraska cities with lower median rent include Kearney ($1,451/mo), Columbus ($1,447/mo), Kearney ($1,445/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 Omaha, NE. Affordability applies the 30% rule (rent ≤ 30% of gross income). Real take-home varies with taxes, household composition, overtime, tips, and benefits.