Can A Bus Driver Afford Rent in Morris Plains, NJ?

Rent-burdened — rent takes 72.4% of gross income.

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

Morris Plains median rent
$3,504/mo
Bus Driver salary (New Jersey)
$58,038/yr
Rent as % of income
72.4%
Gross monthly income works out to about $4,837, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,451/mo in rent. Morris Plains's median rent of $3,504 exceeds that threshold by $2,053/mo, putting a bus driver salary into the rent-burdened range here. A bus driver works roughly 125.6 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 Morris Plains, which improves the affordability math on a bus driver salary:

Lavallette, NJ
$3,500/mo (72.4% of income)
North Haledon, NJ
$3,500/mo (72.4% of income)
Jackson, NJ
$3,499/mo (72.3% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Morris Plains

View full rent data for Morris Plains, NJ

Frequently asked questions

Can a bus driver afford rent in Morris Plains, NJ?

Median rent in Morris Plains is $3,504 a month. A typical bus driver in New Jersey earns about $58,038 a year, which makes that rent 72.4% 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 Morris Plains?

Using the 30% rule, a bus driver salary in New Jersey (~$58,038/yr) supports up to $1,451 a month in rent. Morris Plains's current median rent is $3,504/mo, which is $2,053/mo over the affordability threshold.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $28 an hour, a bus driver in New Jersey works roughly 125.6 hours a month to cover Morris Plains's median rent of $3,504.

Where is rent cheaper than Morris Plains for a bus driver?

Nearby New Jersey cities with lower median rent include Lavallette ($3,500/mo), North Haledon ($3,500/mo), Jackson ($3,499/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 Morris Plains, NJ. Affordability applies the 30% rule (rent ≤ 30% of gross income). Real take-home varies with taxes, household composition, overtime, tips, and benefits.