Can A Bus Driver Afford Rent in Spring Lake, NJ?

Rent-burdened — rent takes 109.4% of gross income.

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

Spring Lake median rent
$5,292/mo
Bus Driver salary (New Jersey)
$58,038/yr
Rent as % of income
109.4%
Gross monthly income works out to about $4,837, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,451/mo in rent. Spring Lake's median rent of $5,292 exceeds that threshold by $3,841/mo, putting a bus driver salary into the rent-burdened range here. A bus driver works roughly 189.7 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 Spring Lake, which improves the affordability math on a bus driver salary:

Short Hills, NJ
$5,215/mo (107.8% of income)
Belmar, NJ
$5,165/mo (106.8% of income)
Belmar, NJ
$5,044/mo (104.3% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Spring Lake

View full rent data for Spring Lake, NJ

Frequently asked questions

Can a bus driver afford rent in Spring Lake, NJ?

Median rent in Spring Lake is $5,292 a month. A typical bus driver in New Jersey earns about $58,038 a year, which makes that rent 109.4% 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 Spring Lake?

Using the 30% rule, a bus driver salary in New Jersey (~$58,038/yr) supports up to $1,451 a month in rent. Spring Lake's current median rent is $5,292/mo, which is $3,841/mo over the affordability threshold.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $28 an hour, a bus driver in New Jersey works roughly 189.7 hours a month to cover Spring Lake's median rent of $5,292.

Where is rent cheaper than Spring Lake for a bus driver?

Nearby New Jersey cities with lower median rent include Short Hills ($5,215/mo), Belmar ($5,165/mo), Belmar ($5,044/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 Spring Lake, NJ. Affordability applies the 30% rule (rent ≤ 30% of gross income). Real take-home varies with taxes, household composition, overtime, tips, and benefits.