Can A Bus Driver Afford Rent in Kearny, NJ?

Rent-burdened — rent takes 43.6% of gross income.

Kearny rent: September 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (New Jersey state estimate).

Kearny median rent
$2,108/mo
Bus Driver salary (New Jersey)
$58,038/yr
Rent as % of income
43.6%
Gross monthly income works out to about $4,837, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,451/mo in rent. Kearny's median rent of $2,108 exceeds that threshold by $657/mo, putting a bus driver salary into the rent-burdened range here. A bus driver works roughly 75.5 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 Kearny, which improves the affordability math on a bus driver salary:

Budd Lake, NJ
$2,106/mo (43.5% of income)
Newark, NJ
$2,105/mo (43.5% of income)
Newark, NJ
$2,105/mo (43.5% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Kearny

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Frequently asked questions

Can a bus driver afford rent in Kearny, NJ?

Median rent in Kearny is $2,108 a month. A typical bus driver in New Jersey earns about $58,038 a year, which makes that rent 43.6% 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 Kearny?

Using the 30% rule, a bus driver salary in New Jersey (~$58,038/yr) supports up to $1,451 a month in rent. Kearny's current median rent is $2,108/mo, which is $657/mo over the affordability threshold.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $28 an hour, a bus driver in New Jersey works roughly 75.5 hours a month to cover Kearny's median rent of $2,108.

Where is rent cheaper than Kearny for a bus driver?

Nearby New Jersey cities with lower median rent include Budd Lake ($2,106/mo), Newark ($2,105/mo), Newark ($2,105/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 Kearny, NJ. Affordability applies the 30% rule (rent ≤ 30% of gross income). Real take-home varies with taxes, household composition, overtime, tips, and benefits.