Can A Bus Driver Afford Rent in Short Hills, NJ?

Rent-burdened — rent takes 131.6% of gross income.

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

Short Hills median rent
$6,365/mo
Bus Driver salary (New Jersey)
$58,038/yr
Rent as % of income
131.6%
Gross monthly income works out to about $4,837, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,451/mo in rent. Short Hills's median rent of $6,365 exceeds that threshold by $4,914/mo, putting a bus driver salary into the rent-burdened range here. A bus driver works roughly 228.1 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 Short Hills, which improves the affordability math on a bus driver salary:

Ventnor City, NJ
$6,107/mo (126.3% of income)
Ventnor City, NJ
$5,857/mo (121.1% of income)
Ventnor City, NJ
$5,839/mo (120.7% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Short Hills

View full rent data for Short Hills, NJ

Frequently asked questions

Can a bus driver afford rent in Short Hills, NJ?

Median rent in Short Hills is $6,365 a month. A typical bus driver in New Jersey earns about $58,038 a year, which makes that rent 131.6% 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 Short Hills?

Using the 30% rule, a bus driver salary in New Jersey (~$58,038/yr) supports up to $1,451 a month in rent. Short Hills's current median rent is $6,365/mo, which is $4,914/mo over the affordability threshold.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $28 an hour, a bus driver in New Jersey works roughly 228.1 hours a month to cover Short Hills's median rent of $6,365.

Where is rent cheaper than Short Hills for a bus driver?

Nearby New Jersey cities with lower median rent include Ventnor City ($6,107/mo), Ventnor City ($5,857/mo), Ventnor City ($5,839/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 Short Hills, NJ. Affordability applies the 30% rule (rent ≤ 30% of gross income). Real take-home varies with taxes, household composition, overtime, tips, and benefits.