Can A Bus Driver Afford Rent in Rochester, NH?

Rent-burdened — rent takes 47.9% of gross income.

Rochester rent: June 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (New Hampshire state estimate).

Rochester median rent
$2,132/mo
Bus Driver salary (New Hampshire)
$53,375/yr
Rent as % of income
47.9%
Gross monthly income works out to about $4,448, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,334/mo in rent. Rochester's median rent of $2,132 exceeds that threshold by $798/mo, putting a bus driver salary into the rent-burdened range here. A bus driver works roughly 83.1 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 New Hampshire cities have lower median rent than Rochester, which improves the affordability math on a bus driver salary:

Nashua, NH
$2,131/mo (47.9% of income)
Dover, NH
$2,129/mo (47.9% of income)
Nashua, NH
$2,125/mo (47.8% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Rochester

View full rent data for Rochester, NH

Frequently asked questions

Can a bus driver afford rent in Rochester, NH?

Median rent in Rochester is $2,132 a month. A typical bus driver in New Hampshire earns about $53,375 a year, which makes that rent 47.9% 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 Rochester?

Using the 30% rule, a bus driver salary in New Hampshire (~$53,375/yr) supports up to $1,334 a month in rent. Rochester's current median rent is $2,132/mo, which is $798/mo over the affordability threshold.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $26 an hour, a bus driver in New Hampshire works roughly 83.1 hours a month to cover Rochester's median rent of $2,132.

Where is rent cheaper than Rochester for a bus driver?

Nearby New Hampshire cities with lower median rent include Nashua ($2,131/mo), Dover ($2,129/mo), Nashua ($2,125/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a bus driver salary.

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