Can A Bus Driver Afford Rent in Ridgefield Park, NJ?

Rent-burdened — rent takes 44.7% of gross income.

Ridgefield Park rent: July 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (New Jersey state estimate).

Ridgefield Park median rent
$2,161/mo
Bus Driver salary (New Jersey)
$58,038/yr
Rent as % of income
44.7%
Gross monthly income works out to about $4,837, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,451/mo in rent. Ridgefield Park's median rent of $2,161 exceeds that threshold by $710/mo, putting a bus driver salary into the rent-burdened range here. A bus driver works roughly 77.4 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 Ridgefield Park, which improves the affordability math on a bus driver salary:

Garfield, NJ
$2,160/mo (44.7% of income)
Lodi, NJ
$2,160/mo (44.7% of income)
Trenton, NJ
$2,159/mo (44.6% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Ridgefield Park

View full rent data for Ridgefield Park, NJ

Frequently asked questions

Can a bus driver afford rent in Ridgefield Park, NJ?

Median rent in Ridgefield Park is $2,161 a month. A typical bus driver in New Jersey earns about $58,038 a year, which makes that rent 44.7% 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 Ridgefield Park?

Using the 30% rule, a bus driver salary in New Jersey (~$58,038/yr) supports up to $1,451 a month in rent. Ridgefield Park's current median rent is $2,161/mo, which is $710/mo over the affordability threshold.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $28 an hour, a bus driver in New Jersey works roughly 77.4 hours a month to cover Ridgefield Park's median rent of $2,161.

Where is rent cheaper than Ridgefield Park for a bus driver?

Nearby New Jersey cities with lower median rent include Garfield ($2,160/mo), Lodi ($2,160/mo), Trenton ($2,159/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 Ridgefield Park, NJ. Affordability applies the 30% rule (rent ≤ 30% of gross income). Real take-home varies with taxes, household composition, overtime, tips, and benefits.