Can A Bus Driver Afford Rent in Middletown, NJ?

Rent-burdened — rent takes 68.7% of gross income.

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

Middletown median rent
$3,325/mo
Bus Driver salary (New Jersey)
$58,038/yr
Rent as % of income
68.7%
Gross monthly income works out to about $4,837, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,451/mo in rent. Middletown's median rent of $3,325 exceeds that threshold by $1,874/mo, putting a bus driver salary into the rent-burdened range here. A bus driver works roughly 119.2 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 Middletown, which improves the affordability math on a bus driver salary:

Fort Lee, NJ
$3,324/mo (68.7% of income)
Morganville, NJ
$3,316/mo (68.6% of income)
South Orange, NJ
$3,314/mo (68.5% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Middletown

View full rent data for Middletown, NJ

Frequently asked questions

Can a bus driver afford rent in Middletown, NJ?

Median rent in Middletown is $3,325 a month. A typical bus driver in New Jersey earns about $58,038 a year, which makes that rent 68.7% 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 Middletown?

Using the 30% rule, a bus driver salary in New Jersey (~$58,038/yr) supports up to $1,451 a month in rent. Middletown's current median rent is $3,325/mo, which is $1,874/mo over the affordability threshold.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $28 an hour, a bus driver in New Jersey works roughly 119.2 hours a month to cover Middletown's median rent of $3,325.

Where is rent cheaper than Middletown for a bus driver?

Nearby New Jersey cities with lower median rent include Fort Lee ($3,324/mo), Morganville ($3,316/mo), South Orange ($3,314/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 Middletown, NJ. Affordability applies the 30% rule (rent ≤ 30% of gross income). Real take-home varies with taxes, household composition, overtime, tips, and benefits.