Can A Bus Driver Afford Rent in Dover, NJ?

Rent-burdened — rent takes 49.5% of gross income.

Dover rent: June 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (New Jersey state estimate).

Dover median rent
$2,396/mo
Bus Driver salary (New Jersey)
$58,038/yr
Rent as % of income
49.5%
Gross monthly income works out to about $4,837, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,451/mo in rent. Dover's median rent of $2,396 exceeds that threshold by $945/mo, putting a bus driver salary into the rent-burdened range here. A bus driver works roughly 85.9 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 Jersey cities have lower median rent than Dover, which improves the affordability math on a bus driver salary:

Carteret, NJ
$2,395/mo (49.5% of income)
Iselin, NJ
$2,395/mo (49.5% of income)
Somerville, NJ
$2,395/mo (49.5% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Dover

View full rent data for Dover, NJ

Frequently asked questions

Can a bus driver afford rent in Dover, NJ?

Median rent in Dover is $2,396 a month. A typical bus driver in New Jersey earns about $58,038 a year, which makes that rent 49.5% 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 Dover?

Using the 30% rule, a bus driver salary in New Jersey (~$58,038/yr) supports up to $1,451 a month in rent. Dover's current median rent is $2,396/mo, which is $945/mo over the affordability threshold.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $28 an hour, a bus driver in New Jersey works roughly 85.9 hours a month to cover Dover's median rent of $2,396.

Where is rent cheaper than Dover for a bus driver?

Nearby New Jersey cities with lower median rent include Carteret ($2,395/mo), Iselin ($2,395/mo), Somerville ($2,395/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a bus driver salary.

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